In Your Favor
by heybummerchapman
Summary: Piper accompanies Polly and her boyfriend on a vacation to The Bahamas. She agreed to be there to support her, but ends up feeling like a bit of a third wheel. Fortunately, there are many other people at the resort she has been dragged to. I think we all know who else just so happens to be on holiday. ;)
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hello there. I am back a bit sooner than expected due to a sudden burst of writing inspiration. I've had this idea in my head for quite some time and I'm not entirely sure where this is headed or how long it's going to be, so please leave any suggestions in the reviews or shoot a pm my way if you so desire. Fair warning: This one gets smutty pretty quickly. As some of you may know, writing smut isn't really my expertise, but I felt it necessary for the impact of the plot. This is a fairly long one, so settle in and I hope you enjoy!_

* * *

Polly had been dating her boyfriend for almost 3 months when he invited her to go on a vacation to some fancy resort in The Bahamas. The only catch was that it was a family trip. Apparently, his mother had always taken him and his sister on a little adventure in the summer since they were kids. Polly had told Piper that her boyfriend hadn't grown up with much money, but his mother did everything in her power to provide for him. As the two siblings got older and were financially well off, they took to paying for a nice vacation to show their mother around the world. The blonde found this to be really sweet. Corey truly was a nice guy.

"That is amazing, Pol. Sounds like a great vacation!" Piper smiled warmly.

"I'm glad you think so because I was hoping you'd come along." The brunette offered an uncomfortable smile.

"What are you talking about? I am not going to third wheel you and Corey and get stuck making small talk with his mother. That is so awkward."

"I _need _you there for emotional support. You can act as a sort of buffer; parents always fall in love with you."

"Don't you think you're overreacting just a tad? They're either going to like you or they're not." The blonde shrugged. "Neither of us really have a say in the matter."

"It's not an option for them to not like me. I _love_ Corey and I could really see us together for the long haul."

"Don't you think it is a bit soon to be considering _forever _after dating for like 3 months?" Piper questioned with a raised brow.

"No, not really. I've never felt as strongly about anyone as I do about him."

"Well of course not! He's an incredibly handsome and charming guy." It was true. He was tall, had a strong jaw and captivating green eyes. His hair was a unique dark red and his short beard was well-groomed. "I'm just saying, it should take a while to get to know someone enough to entertain the idea of commitment."

"Handsome, huh? Are you coming for my man?" Polly teased.

"Of _course_ not. I'm just trying to make a point."

"He is pretty hot." The brunette smirked. "_Please_ do this for me. I really want you to come and I promise I'll hang out with you too."

"What's in it for me?" Piper inquired, mostly teasing. She had already made up her mind of course; she'd do just about anything for her best friend of almost 10 years.

"Uh, a room all to yourself at a gorgeous resort right off of the beach. Corey already offered to pay for a room for you if I could convince you to join us."

"He doesn't have to do that, Pol. I was just kidding." Polly simply shrugged in response. "I'd love to join you guys if that's _really_ what you want."

"Yes! Thank you for doing this. I love you and I owe you one."

* * *

Before she knew it, Piper was on a plane to The Bahamas. She'd never been great with flying, but she did best when she had a partner there to hold her hand for takeoff and landing. Corey, being the nice guy he was, offered to swap seats with the blonde so she could have Polly by her side. Piper felt a bit guilty, but ultimately accepted the offer, too nervous to face such a long flight on her own.

She was woken up by the dropping feeling in her stomach that indicated the pane was beginning it's descent. She couldn't help but smile when Polly immediately took her hand in her own, gently rubbing the side with her thumb. The two remained in this position until the plane had stilled completely and waited for their turn to get off. They met with Corey outside of the gate and made their way to the rental car area to pick up their ride. He did the driving and they arrived at the resort in no time. Piper couldn't believe how beautiful it was. They went to their respective hotel rooms to clean up and take naps. Piper was awoken by a text from Polly.

Polly: (Hey, sleepyhead. Want to head down for some dinner with us?)

Piper: (_Us?_ As in you and Corey? Is the rest of his family here yet?)

Polly: (Just Corey and I. His mom won't be in until late tonight and his sister is headed down tomorrow I believe. So the plan is for us to all meet at lunch tomorrow.)

Piper: (Ok cool. Just let me freshen up and I'll meet you guys down at the restaurant.)

Polly: (See ya. Hurry though, because I'm hungry and itching for a drink.)

The blonde made quick work of sliding into a pair of skinny jeans and a silk tank top. Her long blonde hair had already held loose waves, and only gained more volume from her brief nap. She threw on a bit of fresh makeup and grabbed her phone and room key before heading out. The three met in the restaurant and had a delicious meal. Each of them had a drink with dinner, but they moved to a bar once they had finished to continue their good time. Polly and Corey became increasingly intoxicated and handsy throughout the next hour or so. Piper was beginning to feel a bit annoyed.

"Can you guys please just head up to your room and fuck already? I think everyone in this bar has seen more than enough."

"What? No." Polly replied. "I promised I wouldn't ditch you."

"You promised you wouldn't leave me alone with his family. It's fine." The blonde replied with only a slight eye roll. "At this point I'm pretty sure you guys leaving me is the only option other than watching you fuck right here on this bar. And I'm not super into that."

"If you're sure?" Polly replied, giggling and Corey licked and nipped his way up her neck, his hands grabbing her ass.

"I'm sure! For the love of God, _please_ get out of here." Piper shielded her eyes. The two complied. Corey grabbed her friend's hand and tugged her out of the bar quickly. Piper stayed at the bar, deciding to at least finish her margherita. She felt more than saw someone sliding onto the stool next to her.

"Hey." The mysterious stranger spoke up. It was a woman.

"Hi..." Piper replied apprehensively.

"So what's your story, kid?"

"My story?" The blonde inquired, looking up at her new company for the first time. She had long dark hair and luscious red lips. Her eyes were slightly hidden due to the bar's dark lighting and her thick-rimmed glasses, but they appeared to be a brilliant green.

"Yeah, what're you doing here?"

"Just came here with a friend." The blonde shrugged. "She promised she wouldn't ditch me and now she's off somewhere most definitely having hot sex. And I'm here. Sitting at a bar all by myself."

"Well you're not alone anymore." She replied with a wink, and Piper immediately felt a flutter in her lower stomach.

"I'll drink to that." Piper lifted her cocktail up to cheers with the mysterious brunette before taking another sip. "What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What's your story?...I showed you mine." The blonde felt herself smirking and wasn't quite sure where this confidence was coming from. Shed definitely been attracted to women before, but never actually acted on it. The brunette bit her lip, and Piper couldn't help but stare, feeling her lower stomach clench.

"Fair enough. Just here for a quick getaway. My friend and coworker actually told me about this resort."

"Oh, yeah?"

"Yup. She came here for her honeymoon pretty recently. She and her wife absolutely loved it."

"_Oh_." Piper felt herself smirking. _Play it cool._ "That's cool. Yeah, I've never been here before either." She took another long sip, draining the last of her drink. The two conversed for a short while, talking mostly about their jobs, and shared love of literature. Alex, however, interrupted the flow of the conversation.

"I'm sorry if this is a little forward, but...would you maybe want to get out of here?" The brunette finished off her beer.

"Uh…" She desperately wanted that, but she'd never actually slept with a woman. What if she didn't like it? Or even worse, what if she was really bad at it? Alex seemed to sense her hesitancy.

"Oh, I didn't mean like _out of here and into my bedroom._" The blonde felt a strange mixture of both relief and disappointment. "Maybe we could just walk the beach or something? It's just kind of hard to have meaningful conversations in a loud bar." She chuckled.

"Sounds good." The brunette smiled and stood up, extending a hand to help Piper off of her bar stool. Now that they were standing, the blonde noticed that the other woman was just slightly taller than her. She led her out of the crowded bar and the two made their way down to the shore.

"I never asked you your name." Alex stated plainly, surprise clear in her voice.

"It's Piper."

"Are you fucking with me?"

"I wish I was." Piper giggled. "What's yours?"

"I didn't mean that in a bad way." Piper was almost certain she could see a blush forming on the woman's alabaster skin. "It's just...unique. And I'm Alex."

"I like it. Just Alex, or is it short for anything?"

"Alexandra. But I prefer Alex. My full name is generally reserved for when my mother gets pissed off." She explained with a laugh.

"Got it. It's beautiful, though: Alexandra." Piper liked the way it rolled off of her tongue.

"Well thank you. So your friend brought you here and then immediately ditched you for some hot guy she met in a bar?"

"Not exactly. I'm here with her and her boyfriend, sort of awkwardly third wheeling. It's a long story.."

"Sounds like it. Well I'm sorry your friend did that to you. That's pretty shitty. I have to admit, though, I'd probably do the same to my best friend in the pursuit of hot sex." Piper cleared her throat after hearing the word sex in the brunette's deep and raspy tone.

"Same." Piper agreed. "I guess that's why I'm not too mad about it." She stared at the dark red lips in front of her.

"Just jealous?" Alex inquired, cheekily.

"Not jealous of the boyfriend, but definitely jealous of the hot sex." The blonde sighed, dreaming of a world in which she is the one getting dragged to a hotel by someone desperate to take her.

"You don't have to be, you know?"

"Oh, yeah?" The blonde inquired with a smirk. She liked where this was headed.

"Yeah. I mean if you want. I could help you out." Piper simply stared at the brunette for a moment, pondering her proposition. She took a deep breath before lunging toward the brunette and capturing her lips with her own. The kiss was immediately steamy. Alex was not shy; immediately thrusting her tongue into the blonde's mouth. This continued for quite some time before Piper pulled back, realizing the two of them were still standing on the beach. Alex was quick to grip her hand and pulled her toward the hotel. When they made it to the elevator they were alone. As soon as the doors closed, Piper's lips were back on the brunette. She kissed her way down her neck, licking a line up to her ear.

"What floor are you on?" She whispered, her breath hot against her ear.

"6." Alex panted out. Piper immediately turned to press the button for the sixth floor. Once the number was lit up, she made her way back to Alex, pushing her body tightly against hers.

"I'm on 9; yours is closer." She leaned in for a quick peck, pulling back when she felt her grinning against her lips. "What?"

"I'm trying really hard not to make a joke about the combination of our respective floor numbers." Alex chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." Piper couldn't help but giggle. She pulled the girl in for one last long kiss before the elevator arrived on the brunette's floor. Alex led the blonde down the hall until they made it to room 615 and she held her key against the door, pushing it open when the light had turned green. She instantly chucked the key card on the console table, turning and pushing Piper against the door. Her hands promptly landed on the blonde's ass, pushing their cores together. Piper took advantage of the position, allowing her hands to caress the brunette's generous breasts. Before she knew it, Alex had rid her of her tank top and her jeans leaving her feeling rather vulnerable. The blonde decided to pull Alex's shirt off of her frame, moaning as her chest was exposed in a sexy black bra. "Fuck."

"Like what you see?" Alex chuckled at the reaction, causing her breasts to bounce lightly.

"_Fuck_." Piper moaned out. "Yes." She immediately dropped to her knees, peeling Alex's dark skinny jeans off of her gorgeous legs. The brunette grasped under her chin, lifting her face so their eyes met once again.

"You first kid." The blonde stood quickly, allowing Alex to carry her over to the bed and plop her down on the edge. She was certainly willing to let the brunette take the lead. Hopefully she could pick up a few pointers from her performance. Piper was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice that Alex had fallen to her knees and stripped her underwear off. "You alright, Pipes?"

"Yes." Piper bit her lip, revelling at the sight of Alex between her legs. She dropped a hand between her legs, grasping long, dark locks. "Please."

"Please what?" She grinned up at her before placing wet kisses up both of her thighs. Piper arched her back off of the bed, removing her bra and throwing it to the side. She rubbed at her own breasts and pinched her nipples.

"_Uhn._" The blonde let out a moan. "Fuck me. Please."

"Gladly." Alex took her time working the blonde over. By the time her lips actually met her center, she was absolutely dripping and already on the verge of her orgasm. It only took a few soft licks on her clit before she was writhing on the bed, her grip on Alex's hair tightening. The brunette placed a few long licks up her slit before returning her focus to her clit, flicking it gently.

"Ohhh, fuck. I'm- I'm coming!" Piper called out, her back arching and her thighs tightening over Alex's shoulders. "Aleeex!" Her eyes shut tightly and her mouth fell wide open as she moaned out the woman's name. This orgasm felt as if it lasted forever. When she finally calmed down, she sat up to look Alex in the eyes. The brunette was still placing soft licks and kisses around her core, careful to avoid the extra sensitive areas. She moved her hand from the back of Alex's head to her cheek, lifting her face from between her legs.

"Can I do you?" The blonde inquired.

"You don't have to ask." She chuckled, causing Piper to feel slightly embarrassed. She didn't really feel comfortable admitting to Alex that she was her first 'she'.

"Right." She cleared her throat. "I just..wanted to make sure. Get up here. It's my turn." She smirked. Alex stood up and straddled Piper of the edge of the bed, immediately capturing her lips in a kiss. The blonde moaned out at the taste of herself on Alex mouth. She mentally noted just how covered Alex's face was with her juices. She could feel how wet Alex was as she grinded on her, her moisture apparent through her underwear. Piper moved her arms around Alex's back to remove her bra, palming her gorgeous naked breasts in her hand. She moaned against her lips. "How do you want me?" Piper whispered.

"I want your fingers." She ground harder against the blonde's lap. Piper slowly slid her right hand down the brunette's toned stomach. She rubbed her core through her underwear as she leaned down to take one of the brunettes nipples in her mouth. She gave each of her breasts attention before sitting back up to kiss her again.

"Ready?" The blonde inquired with a whisper.

"Yesss." Alex moaned out and Piper slid her hand slowly into her underwear. She ran her fingers through her moisture multiple times before gently sliding a finger inside. When Alex began riding her finger, Piper was certain she had never seen anything sexier. She pulled the brunette close and moaned at the feeling of her stiff nipples against her own, still wet from her earlier treatment. She slowly slid in a second finger, trying to focus on what she liked to have done to herself. The fact that the brunette still had her underwear on, aided in Piper's palm putting pressure on her clit. Alex rocked her hips against the girls hand, nearly grinding into her lap. The blonde curled her fingers experimentally and was met with a loud moan. She smirked.

"You like that?" She whispered against her lips. "Are you going to come for me?"

"Ahhh- Motherfuck. _Yes_." Piper curled her fingers again and ground her palm harder against her clit. "Right there. Yesss. I'm going to come!" She tensed against her, her mouth dropping to place a bite on the blonde's left shoulder.

Alex continued to grind against her, riding out her orgasm. Piper moaned at the exquisite feeling of her pulsing around her fingers and her juices dripping down her hand. After a few moments she stilled and slumped against Piper. The blonde slowly pulled her fingers out, careful to avoid putting pressure on her clit. She examined her glistening hand, shocked to see just how much Alex had come for her.

"Oh my god." Alex panted out, pulling back to sit upright again. "I can't believe how hard I just came. Sorry about that." She nodded towards Piper's dripping fingers and palm.

"Nothing to apologize for. Fuck. That was so fucking hot." Piper laughed, causing Alex to do the same.

"Damn right. Jesus you're good at that." The blonde suddenly decided to take her fingers into her own mouth, her first introduction to Alex's taste. This would be a good way for her to decide if she could go any further with the brunette. She was surprised at just how incredible she tasted. It made her even more excited at the prospect of eating her out, and confused by the men she had encountered that didn't like to perform the act. "How do you exist?" Alex inquired, moaning at the sight of Piper's wet fingers sliding between her lips.

"What?" Piper eyed her curiously.

"You're genuinely the most attractive person I've encountered and you're killer in bed." Piper smirked at the comment. She wondered what Alex would say if she knew that Piper had never even been with a woman until this moment. That would surely blow her mind even more.

"I don't know about that." The blonde shrugged, tucking a strand of hair behind her ears. She had never really considered herself to be that attractive, especially not attractive enough to land someone like Alex. As for the rest, she had certainly been told by previous partners that she was good in bed, but men were pretty easy to please. "You haven't even experienced it all, yet."

"Oh yeah? What else do you have to show me?" Piper slid back onto the bed, guiding Alex to lay down.

"I was thinking about earlier." Piper whispered against her lips, grinding against Alex's leg.

"Oh, yeah? When?"

"The elevator. 6 and 9." She giggled.

"By all means, please continue." Alex's hands fell to her ass, pushing their centers even closer together.

"I don't know about you, but I think it was a sign from the universe." She nipped at Alex's ear.

"Not usually a big believer in that kind of thing, but I'm willing to suspend my disbelief in this moment." She smirked at the sexy blonde above her.

"Sounds good to me." The two continued their passionate make out before Piper turned on top of Alex and finally slipped her underwear down her legs. The blonde was a bit taken aback when Alex immediately dove into her center, but she was quick to return the favor. She reveled in the taste and the feeling of Alex, desperate to make her come against her mouth. It didn't take long before they both reached their peaks, mere moments apart. Piper collapsed on top of Alex, smiling as she felt the other woman gently rubbing up and down her thighs before placing a kiss against the side of her knee. She was most certainly _not _jealous of Polly in this moment. In fact, she couldn't think of any place in the world that she'd rather be or any person she'd rather be with. Once she had caught her breath, she turned back around and cuddled into Alex's side. The brunette smirked, placed a kiss on her forehead, and the two fell asleep wrapped up in each other.

* * *

When Piper woke up, it took a moment for her to remember where she was. Yes, she had gone to the bahamas with Polly and her man and was in a fancy resort hotel room. However, she quickly recalled it wasn't her personal hotel room when she saw the long arms wrapped around her. She instantly smiled, grateful that last night hadn't been some elaborate dream. She glanced at the alarm clock to see that it was almost ten in the morning. Piper decided it'd be best for her to head to her room and get her shit together before she had to meet Polly, Corey and his family for lunch.

She couldn't quite bring herself to wake Alex up so she decided to leave a note instead. Shuffling around the room, she slipped back into last night's clothes. Once fully dressed, she grabbed the resort stationary and pen off of the desk, quickly scribbling a note:

_Alex,_

_Had an incredible time last night and would love to do it again soon. Couldn't stick around because I have plans to meet my friend for lunch, but I trust I'll see you around? Call me if you feel so inclined. ;)_

_-Piper_

She scribbled her number at the bottom of the paper and placed it on Alex's nightstand. She placed a soft kiss on the brunette's forehead before heading out into the hallway and going up to her room. Throughout her entire shower, she couldn't stop smiling. Last night had been absolutely incredible. Sure, she ideally would like to have talked to Alex a bit more and gotten to know her before they had sex. But the sex was so incredible that she couldn't be too upset about it. They could always get to know each other later, right? She was ready by 11:30 and received a text from Polly.

Polly: (Corey and I are already out with his mom. Planning to meet at 12:00. I'll send you the address, but Corey said his sister offered to give you a ride.)

Piper: (Oh, ok. That's fine. Just got ready so tell him to let his sister know she can come whenever. Did you give her my room number?)

Polly: (Yup, all taken care of. Thanks again for doing this.)

Piper: (Anything for you. But if his sister's a bitch I might jump out of the car before we even make it there. (; )

Polly: (Ha. Ha. I'm being serious here.)

Piper: (Me too.)

There was a knock at Piper's door and she slid her phone into her back pocket before checking her appearance in the mirror one last time. She had opted for a pair of skinny jeans, a floral blouse, and a simple pair of white sneakers. Her makeup was rather natural, but she threw on a red lip to add a little extra flair. She rushed to the door, not wanting to keep Corey's sister waiting. She opened the door with a huge smile on her face, trying to come across as friendly. However, her smile quickly fell and she felt her heart rate increase tenfold.

"Alex?" She questioned.

"Piper?" The brunette spoke in more of a whisper. There were a few moments of silence and intense eye contact.

"Shit." They spoke up simultaneously.

* * *

_A/N: Let me know how you guys are feeling about this thus far. As I've said, I have no idea where exactly this is headed so let me know if you have any preferences. For those of you who are rooting for me to continue and existing fic, that is still in the cards. However, I've not been in a place where I feel I can read back through 'Invisible' quite yet (reading my own writing is incredibly cringey) and I have no idea how I'd handle expanding upon '__Reunion' at this point. Hope I'm not letting you guys down, and you can enjoy this for the time being. -K_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: I'm shocked by all of the feedback I received on the first chapter, so thank you guys! I was a bit nervous that the twist would be obvious, so I'm glad you weren't expecting it haha. I tried to keep it vague. Here's the next chapter. After this, I think I have a rough idea of where I'm wanting to go with it. We shall see. -K_

* * *

Piper felt herself beginning to panic, but tried to keep her expression passive. This was not good. Of all of the people at this resort, how had she managed to sleep with the _one_ person who was essentially off-limits? Talk about bad luck. She attempted to get her breathing under control and cleared her throat.

"Um..ok. I- We should go." She shut the hotel door behind her and sped past Alex to the elevators. The two rode down to the lobby in silence. The previous night, they had stood in the very same elevator with little to no space between them. Now, they were each practically occupying their own corner. Piper followed the brunette to a nice rental car, sliding into the passenger side. The two had been on the road for about 5 minutes before the silence was broken. Unfortunately, they both attempted to cut through the thick air at the same time.

"Piper-"

"Alex-" They spoke in sync, causing them each to pause in discomfort. "You first." The blonde insisted.

"Ok." The brunette took a deep breath, her hands rubbing up and down the steering wheel. "My brother can't know about what happened between us. Or my mom. Fuck, I can't believe this happened." She added with a soft chuckle, running her right hand through her hair.

"Yeah, ok. I mean-I agree. I don't want to mess things up between Polly and-_ your brother._" She whispered the last part awkwardly. "Can we just...start over?" Although she voiced the question out loud, she was internally pondering the same thing.

"Sure. Sounds good to me." If only it were as simple as Alex was making it out to be. The silence prevailed once again, neither woman quite sure what to say at this point. They arrived at the restaurant and Alex walked around to Piper's side to open the door for her The blonde smiled warmly, but kept her distance, not accepting the brunette's extended hand. They walked through the entrance, an unnatural amount of space between them. Piper couldn't help but feel uncomfortable, stealing occasional glances at the gorgeous brunette. They arrived at the table where they found Corey and Polly sitting together at a table for four. "Where's mom?" Alex inquired. Piper wore a nervous smile, sitting across from Polly.

"She went to the restroom." Corey offered unenthusiastically. Alex took the seat right next to Piper, and the blonde scooted slightly away. She tried to stay engaged in the light-hearted conversation that ensued, but could barely look Polly in the eye, let alone Alex and Corey.

"Ok, what is going on?" Polly inquired, causing Piper's eyes to snap up from the hands.

"Alex, what did you do?" Corey spoke up immediately, clearly having been wondering the same thing. "All you had to do was drive her here and you _already _made her uncomfortable." Piper had never seen the man so defensive.

"What? No. I didn't do anything." Alex rolled her eyes.

"It's nothing to do with her, I think I just- drank too much last night." Piper bullshitted, rubbing a hand over her forehead.

"Oh, alright..." Polly accepted the excuse, but still eyed her suspiciously. "I'm really sorry Corey and I ditched you at the bar."

"It's fine. I-" The blonde cleared her throat. "I still had a good time." She saw a smirk form on Alex's face and felt her face heating up.

"There you are!" A voice called out from behind Piper, causing her to jump slightly in her chair. She whipped her head around and thought maybe her eyes were deceiving her. The woman looked so much like Alex. "I feel as if I haven't seen you in ages."

"Relax, mom. I moved away like a month ago." Alex rolled her eyes, but wore a huge grin. She quickly stood up and pulled the woman into a hug.

"Mom, this is Piper:" Corey spoke up after the two had parted. The young blonde stood up extending a hand. "Polly's best friend.

"It's so nice to meet you Miss...Vause." Piper said politely, taking a moment to recall Corey's last name in her overwhelmed state. _Alex Vause. Alexandra Vause._ It certainly had a nice ring to it.

"It's great to meet you, too. Polly has told me _so _much about you. And please, call me Diane." The blonde snapped out of her thoughts.

"Right, of course. Diane. Would you like to take my seat?" The blonde offered the spot next to Alex.

"Oh, no no. That's fine, I'll just pull up another chair." Piper swiftly grabbed another chair for her and placed it at the end of the table.

"There you go." The blonde offered a warm smile, her lips quivering slightly. She resumed her position in the seat next to Alex.

"So polite, this one. Alex, you could stand to learn a thing or two from Piper."

"I'm sure I could. In more ways than one." Piper felt the brunette's hand sliding up her left thigh and her eyes went wide, breath hitching in her throat. She saw Corey throwing a glare in Alex's direction. She felt her thumb gently rubbing her upper thigh a few times before she retracted her hand. The blonde cleared her throat and buried her face in her menu. Everyone ordered their meals and the conversations continued. Diane and Alex appeared to be quite similar in personality and Piper was starting to feel a bit more at ease. After they had finished lunch, Polly and Corey insisted that they go back to their hotel room to relax and continue conversing. Piper was tempted to bail, but she wasn't willing to let her escapades with Alex get in the way of being a good friend. Luckily, Polly suggested that she and Piper ride back to the hotel together and give the Vause family some alone time before they reunited at the resort.

* * *

_Polly and Piper_

"Are you sure you're alright? You've been acting off, and I_ know_ it's not because you've drank too much. I've seen you hungover too many times for you to pull that on me." She teased, eyes briefly darting toward her friend before snapping back to the road.

"I'm good. It's all good, I swear." Piper rapidly tapped her index finger on her thigh.

"But you don't like Alex?" The brunette inquired.

"No I like her. Trust me, that's _not_ the problem."

"Well then what is it? How could liking someone be an issue?"

"It's nothing, ok? Just forget about it. I'm supposed to be helping you out, remember? I'm here to make things _easier_ so let's just forget about it and have a good night."

"Fine…" Polly let out a long sigh. The brunette couldn't stop wondering what possibly could have gone wrong between the two women during a brief car ride.

* * *

_Corey, Alex, and Diane_

"Alex. Seriously. What is going on with you and Piper? She's a nice girl, why can't you just get along?" Corey inquired.

"Nothing! I just. _We_ just- it's _complicated._" Alex whispered. Despite her distressed state she couldn't help but smirk at the memory of just how _uncomplicated _things had been between her and Piper last night. She was biting on her bottom lip when she was brought out of her trance.

"You _didn't_." Corey said dryly. "No fucking way! You've only known her for like an hour!"

"That's not- we met _last night, _ok? And it's_ not _what you think."

"Oh, so you didn't fuck her?!" Corey exclaimed, his hands leaving the wheel momentarily to emphasize his point. Alex just stared at him. _Fuck._

"Alexandra. Are you serious?" Diane chastised her.

"I didn't know who she was _at the time_." Alex rolled her eyes, and pushed her glasses to the top of her head. The rest of the car ride was painfully quiet.

When they arrived at their hotel, they parked the rental and made their way to the lobby doors. By the time they got to the elevator, Diane made some excuse about leaving her room key in the car, and turned to go back. Both young Vause's knew that she was just trying to give them time to work their shit out. Corey said nothing on the elevator ride and on their walk to the room. Alex could tell by the look on his face that he was ready to blow up.

* * *

By the time Alex and Corey arrived at the room, Polly and Piper were already sitting on the couch. However, the siblings were so distracted they didn't even notice they weren't alone. As soon as the door closed behind them Corey went off.

"You_ fucked_ my girlfriend's best friend?!" He stormed into the living area, stopping in his tracks when he made eye contact with his girlfriend. The brunette turned her attention to her friend to find that her face was bright red, and her eyes bulging in fear. _Alex caved that easily? So much for starting over._

"I told you, I didn't know who she was! _Obviously._" Alex groaned out. She had followed Corey into the room and was also shocked to find the two women residing on the resort furniture.

"You slept with a woman?!" Polly exclaimed. It took a moment for Polly's comment to register in Alex's mind. Piper was certain she was melting into the sofa under the intensity of all three sets of their eyes.

"Wait, you're not even gay?" Alex inquired. She was shocked, honestly. She hadn't really read Piper as gay when they met in the bar, but after their night together she just assumed she had been wrong.

"Well, I- It's..._complicated_-" The blonde stuttered out.

"No she's _not _gay." Polly cut her friend off, ignoring her entirely. "What the hell is wrong with you? Taking advantage of my friend. This is ridiculous."

"Polly, it wasn't like that. _At all. _Just listen... we-" Piper tried to defend both Alex and herself.

"I can't believe you would do this, Alex!" This time Corey interrupted her in an extremely harsh tone. "_God_. This is _so_ like you! Why do you have to fuck everything up for me all the time?" Just then, Diane came through the door, suspending the tense interaction.

"What did I miss?" She questioned humorously, clearly knowing that some serious shit was going down.

"Nothing." Corey was now speaking at a normal volume, maybe even too quietly. "I'm done." The disappointment in his eyes was painfully obvious to everyone, but especially to Alex. He pushed past her and made his way into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him. Piper's breathing became more and more erratic until she couldn't handle it anymore.

"I gotta get out of here." She glanced towards Polly, apologetically, and practically ran to the door. She needed to get some air. Being the maternal figure she was, Diane listened, and took to comforting both Polly and Alex. She managed to help them both calm down a bit. After quite a while, Alex spoke up.

"I should go find Piper." She sighed, dreading what was coming next. "Any idea where she is? Her room is 922, right?" She stood up from the couch.

"Yeah, but you won't find her there." Polly offered quietly. "She went to the beach."

"How do you know?" The brunette arched her right eyebrow.

"I know Piper." She shrugged.

"Right." Alex's chest clenched. She couldn't help but think that she'd like the chance to now Piper that well. But that's not how things would go.

* * *

Polly had been right. She found Piper standing on the beach, shoes dangling by their laces in her right hand. Alex could have idenitified her slender figure from a mile away. The blonde appeared to be lost in thought, so Alex approached her quietly and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Shit-" She jumped slightly and turned to face her. "You scared me."

"Sorry. About that and about...well all of this." She laughed dryly.

"I just wish we had met in different circumstances."

"Yeah, It's fucked." A simple statement punctuated by a shrug. "But it was fun while it lasted." The brunette offered after a pause.

"So that's it? _This_\- whatever this is...just ends now?"

"Well yeah. I can't very well continue fucking you _now_." Alex stated plainly. She knew she was being an asshole, and she felt like shit when she saw the look in the blonde's eyes.

"Jesus Christ." Piper huffed. "_I _was thinking we could do more than just fuck, but I guess I was wrong."

"People screw around and move on all the fucking time, Piper. Don't make this out to be _my _problem."

"I'm fucking not! I'm just saying your tune has changed a lot since you tried to feel me up at the table like two hours ago! And maybe _you_ sleep with people and ditch them, but that's not something that I do. That's not what _this.._" She motioned between the two of them._ ".._was to me."

"Whatever. You're just freaking out because you slept with a woman and you're straight. So now you want to make it into some big revelation. Well guess what? Some people just_ fuck_ and move on."

"You trying to make this about me being 'straight' is absolutely juvenile! I'm upset because I fucking like you and we had a great time. Sue me for wanting to get to know someone that I felt a connection with."

"Some of us don't feel the need to get to know everyone that we have sex with, alright? We don't have some special connection, we just had hot sex."

"_Clearly_. And I guess it doesn't fucking matter because we'll never get the chance to find out." The blonde was embarrassed when she felt herself becoming emotional and turned in the sand, running off of the beach as quickly as possible.

* * *

The next day, she met Polly for breakfast and was informed that Alex had decided to go home. She felt both relieved and devastated. Alex had been an asshole last night, but Piper couldn't bring herself to believe that that was who she really was. It was a stressful situation. Perhaps Piper had actually met someone who was worse at handling emotional chaos than she was. After talking with Polly for a long time, she established that she was, in fact, not gay. However, she was also pretty sure that she wasn't entirely straight. Polly was slightly taken aback but offered her friend the support she desperately needed. Piper was just relieved that she wasn't mad. Unlike Corey, she seemed to understand that Alex and Piper had no way of knowing that they were anything other than complete and total strangers. She mostly just felt bad for Piper; she could tell Alex had really hurt her.

"P...are you going to be mad if I stay with Corey after all of this?"

"What? Of course not." The blonde laughed. There was no way she'd ruin things for her best friend no matter how shitty the situation. Although she had teased Polly about being so invested after only a few months, she could tell she and Corey were really in love. "I just want you to be happy."

"What if me being happy means me becoming a Vause?"

"Then I'll support you. I mean it's not like _I'm _going to have to see..." Piper felt like a child, unable to bring herself to say Alex's name. ".._her _all of the time."


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Here we are again update with a quick little. Thank you for the continued feedback; it means a lot to me! Totally understand the slight confusion with Alex's actions/attitude and I'm hoping this ch clears thing up a bit. Let me know how you're all feeling about it. -K_

* * *

For the most part, Piper had been right. There weren't many occasions in which she and Alex were required to be in the same space. When it did happen, they smiled awkwardly at each other and kept their distance. The blonde was almost certain she could detect regret in those green eyes, but she knew better than to question it. Alex had made her feelings very clear, regardless of what her body language was seemingly trying to say. She was right; they had to move on. No matter how hard she tried, though, she could never quite forget about the night she and the brunette had shared.

Piper started going out more frequently; forcing herself to meet people. She was in a bar one night when she was approached by an attractive woman. She was called Nadine, and Piper tried really hard to ignore the fact that her smile reminded her of Alex. The way it started out as a sexy smirk before spreading to light up her whole face. Unlike Alex, though, she appeared to be emotionally available. So Piper went with it. A few weeks after she met Nadine, she was excited to share the news with Polly. She went over to help Polly cook some dinner before Corey came home to join them. They decided on making a lasagna and were in the middle of layering it when Piper began to feel a slight headache coming on.

"Hey Pol, do you have any pain pills around? I'm worried I'm starting to get a headache."

"Uh, I'm sure we do. Try the bathroom cabinet."

"Got it, thanks." Piper rinsed some sauce off of her hands and dried them before heading to the guest bathroom. She opened the cabinet and sighed when she didn't find anything that might aid in relieving her discomfort. "None in here, P!" She called out.

"Shoot. Maybe try upstairs? I can go check our bathroom for you."

"Nah- I got it." The blonde turned to head upstairs and into her friend's en suite. She opened the first cabinet only to discover a bunch of Corey's products and then moved to the storage above the other sink. She opened it and immediately spotted some pain pills. She poured a couple into her hand, popped them into her mouth, then bent down to take a sip of water from the sink. When she placed the small bottle back onto the shelf, another label caught her eye. She snatched the bottle and practically ran downstairs.

"Polly!" She squealed. Her friend turned quickly, a look of concern on her face. When she saw the bottle in Piper's hand she offered a weak smile. "You guys are trying to have a baby?"

"Shit, I forgot I had those in there…And more like we weren't trying, but succeeded anyway." She joked.

"This is so exciting! Oh my gosh, I'm so happy for you." Piper was quick to set the prenatal vitamins on the counter and pull her best friend into a hug.

"Thank you. We're pretty excited about it. Corey is going to be very upset he didn't get to tell you with me."

"Aww, I can just pretend I don't know." Polly shot her a look. _Yeah right._ "I'm serious. How far along are you?" Piper glanced down to see that her friend didn't appear to have a noticeable bump.

"I'm only about 6 weeks, which is why I wasn't going to tell you just yet."

"So you guys really weren't trying to get pregnant?"

"Nope, not really. We had started talking about kids, but I was still on the pill. I missed one in the morning though and ended up taking it quite a bit later in the day. I guess that was all it took."

"Jesus, that's scary. I'm suddenly very glad I'm dating a woman." Piper joked, not realizing she had yet to actually tell her friend about said woman. "But for real...I'm really happy for you guys."

"Ok, you _have _to tell me all about this mysterious woman later...But first, I have some other news."

"Yes…?"

"Corey and I decided that we want to get married before the baby is born. And since I'd preferably like it to happen before I get _huge, _I'm going to need some major help in hastily planning a wedding."

"Of course. Whatever you need."

Corey arrived home about an hour later, fresh lasagna just having been brought out of the oven. Piper tried her best to not let on that she knew anything, but inside she was absolutely beaming. The blonde had always loved kids, especially babies, and watching her best friend start a family was amazing. They were chatting about Corey's day at work when Polly bolted from the table, hand over her mouth. Corey was on his feet in seconds, swiftly following her to the bathroom. Piper just sat at the table on her own, unsure of if she should follow. They returned a few minutes later and Corey was rubbing his hand up and down Polly's back. She looked fine other than a slight glistening sweat on her skin.

"Sorry about that." Polly commented with a chuckle. "I think I'm done eating for now."

"That's fair." Piper smiled warmly. She decided to help Polly out by removing her plate of food in case the smell was adding to her nausea. She carried their plates into the kitchen before returning to the table. "Can I get anything for you?"

"No thanks, I'm all good. Ugh." Piper knew that Polly hated throwing up more than just about anything else in the world.

"At least it'll probably only last until about 16 weeks." Piper commented without even thinking, attempting to comfort her friend with her knowledge concerning pregnancy.

"You told her?!" Corey questioned. "I knew you couldn't keep a secret, babe, but damn that was fast." he teased.

"I didn't! She saw the prenatal vitamins in my cabinet. _And _she promised to not let on that she knew so _technically _she's the one who can't keep a secret in this scenario."

"Wow, throw me under the bus. You think you can trust someone..." Piper joked.

"I'm sorry, baby. I know you wanted to tell her together, but I totally forgot about the vitamins when she went to look for some pain pills."

"It's fine, really. But I get to tell Alex. I can't wait to see her face." Piper couldn't help but laugh, picturing Alex's reaction to the fact that her brother was procreating.

* * *

Four weeks later was Polly's bridal shower and, not-so-coincidentally, a safe time for her to officially announce her pregnancy. Piper was helping Corey and Polly with decorations when none other than Alex Vause walked through the door.

"Alex." Corey got down from his ladder before pulling his sister into a hug. The gesture was a little awkward, but Piper could tell he meant well. "Thank you for coming early to help us out."

"Yeah of course." Alex's eyes met Piper's before turning back to her brother. "My favorite brother is getting married, I wouldn't want to miss out on any of it."

"I know that I'm your only brother, but I'm still going to take that as a compliment. Polly and I actually have something to tell you."

"Okay…" Alex was staring her brother down. She made her way into the kitchen to grab a beer and leaned against the counter. Piper turned and busied herself with setting out food and writing on little labels, not allowing herself to take in the brunette's exquisite form.

"Well…" Corey couldn't keep the smile off of his face and Piper couldn't help but think about how sweet it was. This was the side of Corey that she was used to seeing. Which made his harsh behavior toward Alex all those months ago even more confusing. He led Polly over to the kitchen with him and gently placed a hand over the tiny bump that was forming on her belly. "We're having a baby." Both of Alex's eyebrows raised in surprise and she set her beer down on the counter.

"Really?" Corey and Polly both offered an eager nod. "Wow. I'm happy for you guys." Alex offered calmly, but genuinely.

"That's the reaction we get? You're going to be a terrible aunt." Corey replied in a tone that was clearly meant to be light-hearted. Piper eyed Alex out of the corner of her eye, suspicious about what might come next.

"I mean I'm a terrible sister, so probably." With that she snatched her beer of the marble countertop and made her way over to the stairs, quickly climbing them. Piper felt herself tensing up as an awkward silence crawled over them.

"I should probably go talk to her." Corey replied.

"You think so?" Polly lightly smacked him on the arm, offering a look that Piper recognized as an _I told you so._

"Well that went well." Piper tried to lighten the mood as her pregnant friend made her way around the kitchen counter to help her.

"I keep telling him he needs to talk to her. He _still _hasn't apologized for yelling at her in The Bahamas. I swear, he is so stubborn when it comes to her."

"Do you know why?"

"Not really. Something went down when they were in high school I guess...or maybe college..?" Polly laughed. "Alex has always been stubborn and kind of a player so I think he just gets frustrated." She shrugged.

"Right…" Is that what all of the drama had been about? Corey trying to protect her from Alex? It couldn't have been, the blonde doubted that he'd care very much if she got her heart broken.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Alex." Corey spoke up from behind Alex, who he found in their guest room that was currently in the process of becoming a nursery.

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one who ruined your surprise." Alex punctuated the sarcastic comment with a sip of her drink.

"Don't be obtuse. I'm trying to own up to my mistakes, ok?"

"Yeah ok." She situated herself on the floor, leaning up against a newly constructed crib. Corey had always been one to plan way ahead, especially when it came to things he was excited about. Her brother joined her.

"I shouldn't have gone off on you about Piper."

"Alright…" _Too little, too late._

"Ever since things went down with Sylvie I've been really sensitive about my romantic conquests. It's hard for me to trust that you're not going to get in the way of my relationships. And I now that it's stupid, and maybe I'm paranoid, but I _really _love Polly."

"I get that, but what the fuck does me hooking up with your high school crush have to do with you and Polly? This is a totally different situation."

"I don't trust you, Alex. You're always just looking for a good time, and Piper is not that kind of girl."

"Did you ever think that maybe I've grown up a bit since then?" He offered a skeptical look. "I'm serious! So what is it? You were worried I was going to hurt her or something?"

"Yes, Alex!"

"Piper is an adult, Corey. She's more than capable of taking care of herself. You barely even know her, it's not your job to make decisions on her behalf."

"I know that! I just- I got worried that maybe you'd lead her on and then do something stupid. If you had hurt Piper, Polly wouldn't have hesitated to side with her friend of like ten years and leave me out of respect. We had only been together for a few months. I figured a quick, messy parting would be easier than if you actually broke her heart."

"Maybe you're right. But that night Piper looked so disappointed...she told me that now we'd never get the chance to find out if things could have worked between us. And I can't stop fucking thinking about it." Alex stared at her hands in her lap.

"_Shit_. You really do like her." He said it as if it was beyond his comprehension.

"Of course I do! She's gorgeous, smart, and funny. Every time we're in the same room, I can't help but watch her and listen to her. She's always talking about some new book or spouting random facts in this annoyingly cute way."

"It's not too late, y'know?"

"Yeah it is. I acted like an asshole that night on the beach. I felt like shit after you yelled at me and then I took it out on her. I didn't want to fuck things up for you...like I always do." Alex shrugged.

"Y'know that's not true, right? I mean sure...your recklessness kind of fucked me over a few times when we were younger, but I'm over it now. Really. You're an amazing sister and you're going to be an incredible aunt, too. If anything, I think I've been the bad sibling lately. I've been so worried about preserving my own happiness that I forgot about yours."

"I forgive you...asshole." Corey smiled at her and stood up, grabbing Alex's hand to lift her up as well. The siblings shared their first genuine hug in quite some time, and the brunette felt a weight lifted off of her shoulders.

The two rejoined Polly and Piper downstairs and continued getting the house ready for the small bridal shower. Alex's eyes were tracking Piper even more than usual. She had a lot to make up for, but for the first time in a long time, she felt as if they might at least be able to be friends. Preferably even more. A bunch of people started flooding in and Alex kept to herself for the most part, taking a seat on the kitchen counter. They were about an hour into the bridal shower when Piper returned to the kitchen to wash dishes and prepare the desserts.

"Everything ok?" She inquired. The brunette was shocked to find that Piper seemed genuinely concerned.

"Yeah, actually. Corey and I worked things out pretty well. I was actually just thinking...I was sort of hoping that you and I could talk. I just-" Just then Polly made her way into the kitchen, placing another stack of empty plates in the sink.

"Thank you so much for all of the help, Piper. It means a lot."

"Yeah, of course." Piper replied, distractedly. She couldn't stop wondering what Alex had been trying to say to her. Polly had barely even seemed to register that Alex was there.

"So how was date night with Nadine yesterday?" Piper immediately blushed at the mention of her now-girlfriend in front of Alex.

"I...It was good." She cleared her throat, thoughts of last night's meal and subsequent..._activities_...running though her head.

"You guys are coming up on almost a month of being official, huh? That's exciting." Piper knew that Polly was trying to be supportive, but having this conversation in front of Alex was like a nightmare come to life. She glanced back at the brunette to find her staring down the neck of her beer bottle intently. "I was just thinking...with the wedding coming up and everyth-" Piper quickly shoved a cookie into her friend's mouth to shut her up.

"Here, try this." She muttered clumsily. When Alex didn't so much as smile at this action, Piper knew that something was wrong. Alex was admittedly feeling a little bit crushed. Things were looking up for about an hour. Now she felt as if she was right back where she started. Perhaps something- or rather someone- would always get in the way of her and the blonde.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Thank you guys for all of the continued support and feedback! I really appreciate it. At this point, I'm think I have the general ending of this fic decided, I just have to fill in the blanks haha. Soooo let me know if there's anything you're desperate to see in this particular AU that I've jumbled together. Anyway, I'm back with another chapter and I hope you guys are satisfied with where it leaves off. -K_

* * *

The next time Piper and Alex crossed paths was at the final fitting for their bridesmaids dresses. Due to the expeditious nature of Polly and Corey's wedding, it was only a few weeks later. Polly's down was getting it's last minute alterations due to her growing baby bump, and the rest of the women were checking their dresses for the last time. Polly had made Alex a bridesmaid as a favor to Corey, but also in an attempt to encourage communication between her and Piper. It hadn't been very successful thus far.

Piper couldn't help but steal glances at Alex's long, trim body in her dress. Polly had chosen a dark green color that looked absolutely stunning on her skin and enhanced her already captivating eyes. The blonde tried to remind herself that this was not okay. She had a girlfriend. A girlfriend who cared about her deeply and wouldn't dare speak to her in the way that Alex had when they were practically strangers. Just as she was mentally admonishing herself, said girlfriend walked through the large glass doors of the dress shop.

"Hey, babe." She commented as she approached the blonde. "Mmm. You look so incredible in that dress." She leaned in to place a quick kiss on her lips.

"Thank you, Nads. What are you doing here?" Piper hoped she didn't sound nearly as shaken up as she felt.

"I just wanted to drop off some lunch for you on my way back to the office." She held up a takeout bag from Piper's favorite vegetarian restaurant as well as a cup of ice water.

"Oh. That's so sweet! You didn't have to do that."

"I know, but I wanted to. This morning you said you had to stop by to try on your dress and I remembered it was on my way back, anyway."

"You're the best." Piper grabbed her face in her hands, offering a deeper and more intimate kiss. She wasn't quite sure if it was out of guilt or a poor attempt at trying to prove her relationship to Alex.

"If you say so. I gotta head out, but tell all the girls I said hi and I'll see them at the wedding tomorrow, yeah?"

"Of course. Bye, babe." Nadine set her meal down on the coffee table in the lounge area before heading back out the door. Piper let out a breath she hadn't even realized she was holding and turned back around to eye herself in the mirror. She was almost certain she saw a swoosh of long black hair as if Alex had quickly turned to look in the opposite direction, but couldn't be entirely sure. Piper made her way back into a changing room and slipped her dress onto a hanger. As soon as she was back into her t-shirt and jeans she moved her dress to the group rack and made her way over to Polly.

"Hey, I gotta get out of here but I'll see you early tomorrow. Alright?"

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I just have to get back to work." Polly didn't believe her best friend, but she wasn't going to push it. "You look beautiful, Pol. I can't wait for tomorrow!"

"Ok. We start getting ready at 1:00, pictures by 3:00."

"I know, I know. I made the schedule, remember?" Piper teased.

"Right." Poly chuckled. "Ok, I'll see you then. Love you P."

"Love you too. And little bean." Piper kissed her friend on the cheek before placing a kiss on her fingertips and cupping the top of her friend's petite baby belly. She grabbed the lunch her girlfriend had left for her and headed out, catching one last glimpse of Alex. Seeing her all made up in her dress tomorrow was sure to be difficult.

* * *

Piper was the first bridesmaid to arrive. She made sure to help Polly with getting ready before she started on her own hair and makeup. It was a gorgeous day and Piper was thrilled that they'd have some good natural lighting for the wedding photos. She did her best to focus on making sure the day smoothly and not worry about her own personal issues. Nadine was going to be her plus-one and she needed to keep her shit together. It was so hard to keep her eyes off of Alex. As soon as the brunette entered a room, Piper's eyes reflexively tracked her. It wasn't fair to Nadine. Piper was going to have to learn to control herself.

True to her character, Alex was the last to arrive, and barely took any time to throw on some makeup and look flawless. All of the women took turns slipping into their dresses before Piper helped Polly get into her gown. She then rushed down the hallway to check on Corey and his groomsmen. She gathered everyone before leading them outside to the photo locations. Piper and Alex were of course the tallest bridesmaids, meaning they were stuck standing next to each other nearly the whole time. Polly and Corey wanted some photos with just her and Alex, and Piper was glad to have the couple in between them. By the time the photo op was over, the women were ready to touch up their makeup so it would last through the ceremony. Alex simply sat in the corner, looking radiant as ever.

Nadine came to see Piper briefly before she went back out to take her seat at the venue. The blonde couldn't help but smile at seeing her girlfriend all dressed up. She wore a light grey lace dress that hugged her gorgeous body in all the right places. She was beautiful. Piper tried to remind herself that the two of them could be beautiful together if she could just let it happen. If she could stop wondering what could have been and just focus on what _is_.

During the couple's vows, Piper spotted a tear rolling down Alex's cheek out of the corner of her eye. She couldn't help but smile at the tiny glimpse into Alex's more sensitive side. It wasn't a side that she had often seen from her, but it was her favorite. The wedding was beautiful. It was small and straightforward, but very sentimental. The reception was at the same venue, and open ballroom had been decorated and lined with tables. Piper spent most of the night by her girlfriend's side. She made small talk with the guests, mentally avoiding the chaos that was her current love life. Two of her and Polly's many married friend's had asked the blonde to babysit their child for a couple of days the following week. She accepted. With her best friend on her honeymoon, she figured she wouldn't have anything better to do anyway. Plus she loved kids. This line of thought only made her think about how excited she was for little baby Vause to arrive.

She was about 30 minutes into the reception when she decided that she could use some air. She made her way outside. Walking down the stone steps, she stumbled upon a tipsy Alex. She sat on a step next to her. The two sat in silence for quite a while, staring at the small pond behind the building. Piper was the first to break the silence.

"How are you?"

"Why are you always the one asking me that?" Alex replied humorously.

"Guess I'm just the more thoughtful one." She teased.

"Probably." She shrugged.

"_So_…"

"So, what?"

"How_ are_ you_?_"

"Oh..right. Tipsy, clearly." She lifted the nearly empty glass in her hands.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I. I am tipsy...because it's_ fucking_ hard. I hate seeing you with her, y'know? I'd hate seeing you with anyone else, but _especially _with another woman. She seems like a really great person."

"She is." Piper sighed. She felt guilty, but Alex must have taken the comment in another way in her slightly inebriated state.

"Rub it in all you want. I was still your first." She smirked.

"So you don't want to be with me, but you can't stand watching me with someone else? You can't have it both ways."

"I never said I didn't want to be with you, Piper. Things just went to shit before they could even begin. But there's a chance now. Because Corey has locked this shit in." She gestured vaguely to the wedding behind them. "And he knows how I..._feel_ about you. He knows I wouldn't hurt you. Because I'm done with that shit. I'm ready to fucking grow up." She laughed dryly.

"You don't get to do this. Just wait all this time to apologize... then say all the right things, and expect it to work out. I'm happy. I'm trying to move on." Piper was both lecturing Alex and desperately trying to convince herself.

"I know that." Alex set her glass down and cradled her head in her hands. "I know." She sat back up. "So is this really the end? Everything is finally out there on the table, but it's too late. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"...I want this to be the end…but I haven't been able to get over everything between us yet. Nadine deserves to be happy. And I wanted to be happy with her, but you've made it _fucking _impossible."

"So you're saying…" Alex studied her with a look of pure confusion in her eyes.

"I'm _saying_…I need time to process all of this. And you and I have more to discuss. I'd just rather do it when you're sober." With that, she stood up and made her way back into the venue. She found Nadine in the same place that she had left her. No surprise, she had won over all of the strangers that Piper had selfishly left her to socialize with. She briefly wondered how she would feel if she knew about everything that had transpired between her and Alex.

* * *

A week went by and Piper made no attempt to contact Alex. She had gotten her number from Polly, but not quite worked up the courage to reach out. Working out things with Nadine had been difficult. Piper did her best to explain the situation with Alex in a way that wouldn't minimize what she had shared with her first ever girlfriend. The fact that she had been so understanding almost made things harder. The blonde tried to fight it off, but she couldn't help but feel guilty about bringing her into this mess.

Currently, she was babysitting an adorable 2-year-old girl called Grace. She had known the little girl's parents since they were in college, but hadn't spent much time with the child. Her mother had been called to go on a business trip, and the husband decided to tag along for a much needed break. Piper wasn't quite sure why they came to her at the wedding reception, but was more than happy to watch the kid for a couple of days.

She had just successfully gotten grace down for a nap, and decided to get a glass of water and a granola bar to snack on while she slept. The blonde opened three cupboards before successfully finding the one their housed their cups. Just as she was about to reach the sink, however, her foot got caught on something and she lunged forward. She caught herself on the hand that held the glass, causing it to shatter against the edge of the sink. Luckily, most of the glass fell on the sink and counter, leaving the ground shard-free. However, Piper felt a searing pain in her left palm. She could already see red, and fought her urge to cry out. Grace had slept through the sound of glass crashing, and Piper desperately didn't want to alarm her.

Her first move was to tear off a piece of kitchen roll and press it against the wound. She didn't allow herself to examine it, knowing her body didn't usually react well to the sight of blood. When she turned, she identified that she had gotten tripped up by one of Grace's toys that had been left in the kitchen floor. Her next move was to get her phone. As stubborn as she was, the blonde could admit to herself that she needed help. If the cut was as bad as she feared, she might need someone else to watch the kid for a bit. Polly was on her honeymoon, and reaching out to Nadine would be a bit uncomfortable. She opened her contact and the first name on the list belonged to none other than Alex Vause. _Of course_. She hesitated for a second before pressing gently against the screen with her thumb.

"Vause." Alex's responded after the first few rings. She was thrilled when she saw Piper's name on her phone, hoping the blonde had finally had enough time to process everything and was ready to talk.

"A-Alex. It's Piper." Piper couldn't keep the panic she was feeling from reaching her voice.

"Yeah I know, kid. Is everything alright?"

"Um..yes and no. I actually just cut myself. I'm at a friend's place babysitting for them." The blonde felt a bit queasy at the sight of red seeping through the paper and quickly grabbed another section to continue her attempt to stop the bleeding. "I was wondering if you could maybe come over and help me out. Fuck. I'm _really_ sorry to bother you, but I'm not sure how deep the cut is and I-"

"Ok. It's ok. What's the address?" Alex could clearly hear the panic in her voice, and felt an immediate need to reassure her. The blonde shakily relayed the address of the home. "I'm on my way." Piper could hear the jingle of keys over the phone and a door shutting loudly. "Just take a seat somewhere and keep pressure on it. I'll be there in a few minutes, alright?" She jogged to the parking lot of her apartment building and threw her leg over her motorcycle, anxious to get to the blonde.

When she arrived at the place, Piper let her in before settling back down on the couch. She looked paler than the brunette had ever seen her, as if all of the blood had drained from her face. She quickly followed behind Piper and kneeled in front of her, lifting the paper towel to examine the injury. The cut wasn't terribly long, but it was hard to determine how deep it was. The substantial bleeding was a good indicator that the depth may be concerning. Upon seeing the injury, Piper settled back on the couch, a shaky hand over her eyes.

"Can you move your fingers?" Alex inquired. She pushed the paper towel back into her palm, making sure she kept the pressure on it. The blonde successfully moved her fingers and Alex sighed in relief. "Ok. Probably nothing too major, but it is pretty deep."

"I know." The blonde's breaths became shakier. "I'm sorry. I _hate _blood." She whimpered out, feeling a bit lightheaded.

"Hey, It's ok. Just take a deep breath." Alex got up to sit next to Piper on the couch and rubbed a hand up and down her arm. After a few moments, she felt started to feel a bit better and became aware that she needed to actually tend to the wound.

"Fuck. I think I might need to go to the emergency room." The blonde stood up searching a round the room, and glanced at Grace who was asleep in her playpen. "Could you maybe watch her for me?" She lifted her keys off of the coffee table.

"You just almost passed out. I'm not going to let you drive." The brunette grabbed the keys from the blonde's unwounded hand. Alex gently lifted the sleeping infant from her playpen and was met with a small whimper. Piper grabbed her baby bag just in case, and the two women made their way to the car. Piper did her best to help Alex at strapping the- now crying- 2 year old into her car seat with one injured hand. The brunette made her way to the hospital as quickly as possible and pulled into a parking spot.

"Okay, let's go."

"Grace shouldn't come in, I don't want to risk her catching anything."

"Right, right. I just- I didn't want you to be alone." This sincere comment took the blonde by surprise. Knowing Alex, she decided it'd be best not to comment. The brunette pulled up to drop Piper off at the emergency room entrance.

"I'll be okay." She offered the most reassuring smile she could muster up. "You just wait here with Grace and keep her occupied."

"Got it." Alex stared apprehensively at the girl in the rearview mirror. She seemed to have gotten pretty sleepy during the car ride, but she was still unsure if she could really handle this. Piper made her way into the emergency room, admittedly a bit scared to face this part on her own. When the blonde returned, she had a large bandage covering the palm of her hand. "You good?" Alex inquired. The blonde still looked paler than usual, but had regained some of her color.

"No major damage. Had to get a few stitches." She shivered at the thought. "But...they're pretty optimistic about my chances of survival." She joked.

"Nice; joking through the pain." The brunette kept her tone light, but felt a tremendous amount of relief as Piper started returning to her normal self.

"Yeah, yeah. All good in here?"

"Thankfully the kid was practically back asleep from the car ride, so it's been pretty chill."

"Good. I should probably get her up soon, though, or she'll never sleep through the night." Piper smiled. "Can you drive us back?"

"Yeah of course." Alex did exactly that. In fact, she did more than that. As soon as they were back at the house, the brunette was cleaning up the shattered glass that Piper had left behind in her panic. She even helped her in keeping Grace entertained all the way up until her bed time. She insisted that the blonde relax and rest her hand as to not disturb the heeling process of her stitches.

By the time they had successfully gotten Grace tucked in for the night, Piper was exhausted. Her injury had really taken a toll on her mental energy. Ever since she was a kid, she had been very cautious. She'd always been afraid of injuries and never had any worse than a minor cut or burn. Seeing Alex stay so calm and collected was exactly what she needed. The blonde explained to Alex that the 2-year-old's parents would be back around lunch the next day so she was to stay the night. She led her across the hall from Grace's bedroom and into the guest room. The two sat on the mattress together and finally got their chance to talk.

* * *

"So..Corey is the asshole in this scenario." Piper concluded sarcastically, still processing all of the information that Alex had offered.

"Nah. He was just trying to protect you. He was right, y'know? I'm a fucking wreck. I'm trying to do better, but I still don't really know how to be there for people."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Right." Alex chuckled.

"I'm serious; especially after today. You really stepped up. I hesitated earlier, but I'm _really_ glad that I called you."

"Me too, kid. Anyway, shouldn't we be getting sleep while the little animal is out?" Her nickname for the small child caused Piper to chuckle lightly. It took a moment for her to realize she had heard the word 'we'.

"You don't have to stay." The blonde replied.

"I want to." She stood, smiled warmly, and grabbed a throw blanket out of a basket on the guest room floor. "I'll take the couch."

"Actually...would you- can you maybe stay in here with me?" Piper spoke up apprehensively, watching as Alex stopped in her tracks.

"Uh..yeah-sure. Whatever you want, kid." The brunette slid in under the covers with Piper but immediately laid on her side, facing away from the blonde. Piper slid across the bed, forming her body to fit tightly against Alex's back. "I'm not complaining, but feel like your girlfriend might have a problem with this."

"Actually, I don't have a girlfriend anymore…"

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"It's alright I just- I realized I wasn't with her for the right reasons I guess. Nadine is an amazing woman and she deserved someone who could give all of themselves y'know?"

"And you don't think you can do that?"

"No." The blonde let out a long sigh. "Not with her, at least." She concluded. Alex's thoughts were racing. She desperately hoped that the blonde's phrasing indicated that she was ready to give herself to her. For now, falling asleep in her arms was more than enough.


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Hey guys! Sorry it's been a minute. Kind of felt like I lost my flow, but I'm back at it again. Not sure if I want to end the story here or maybe do like one last chapter to wrap things up in a different way. Let me know how you guys are feeling and I hope you enjoy. -K_

* * *

When Piper woke up the next morning, she immediately noticed that Alex was no longer by her side. She felt a slight drop in her stomach. Had she really bailed on her after one serious conversation? Alex had admitted that she wasn't always great at being there for people, but yesterday had gone so smoothly. Her thought process was interrupted when she heard mild clattering sounds from somewhere else in the home. The blonde quickly got to her feet, walking across the hall to check on Grace. When she didn't find her in her crib, she rushed down the stairs.

"Good morning, sleepyhead." Alex called out from the kitchen, a smirk on her face as she took in Piper's disheveled state.

"Jesus, Alex. You scared me." She looked to the right of Alex to see Grace grinning and tapping a small spoon on the tray of her booster seat.

"What'd I do?"

"You weren't in bed. And then I went to check on Grace and she was _also_ gone."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to worry you." She shrugged. "She woke up a while ago and I didn't want to wake you up. Figured you were pretty drained from yesterday."

"Right. Thank you."

"It's all good. She's pretty chill, huh kid?" Alex reached out to ruffle the little girl's curly brown hair. Grace responded with a wild grin and reached for Alex's arm. Piper couldn't help but smile at the interaction.

"So what do we have going on for breakfast?"

"I just finished making some oatmeal and cutting up fruit for her, but I wanted to check with you. I don't know much about kids...she just kept saying 'oats'." Alex chuckled.

"Oats, oats!" Grace called out, eyeing the small bowl of oatmeal in the brunette's hands.

"Yeah, that should be fine." Piper giggled. "That's a lady who knows what she wants." She walked up to the counter, leaning on it with her elbows.

"That makes two of us." Alex winked at the blonde and received a blush in response.

"Just make sure it's cooled down enough for her to eat." The brunette nodded and checked that the oats weren't too hot before placing the small bowl in front of the child. Grace messily and enthusiastically spooned some oatmeal into her mouth. Alex placed a few slices of fruit and a glass of milk on the tray as well. "Thank you for taking care of her. Who would've thought you'd be so maternal?"

"Righttt. I'm happy to help, but don't push it, kid." She turned around and grabbed two pieces of toast from the toaster, plopping them on separate plates. "What do you want on your toast?"

"Hmmm. Maybe peanut butter?"

"You got it." Alex grabbed the peanut butter from the cabinet that she had found the oats in earlier, and spread it on both of their slices of bread. She then divided the rest of the fruit she had washed between them. "Tada." She dramatically presented the plate to the blonde.

"Looks amazing." They sat in a comfortable silence as they ate, each of them randomly making small talk or reacting to an occasional comment from the 2-year-old. Piper couldn't quite believe the consistency with which she had gotten to see the softer side of Alex. She had wanted to have more with her from the beginning, but recently, she was falling for her in a completely new way. And the best part was that now she was allowed to feel that way. There were no more obstacles in her way.

"All gone." Grace commented, victoriously lifting her spoon in the air. Both Alex and Piper let out a laugh, taking in the sight of the girl's messy face and hands.

"All gone, indeed."

The next few hours flew by and before Alex and Piper knew it, the young girl's parents had arrived home. They were a bit confused by Alex's presence, but had no issues with it once Piper had offered an explanation. Despite her many refusals, they insisted that they pay her for her help the past couple days. Eventually, she relinquished and headed out the front door with Alex trailing her.

"Here, you should take this." Piper extended the money she had just been given to the brunette.

"What? No." She chuckled.

"Seriously, you did most of the work the second day. I really appreciate you saving my ass. At least take half…?" Piper reasoned.

"Absolutely not." Alex leaned against her motorcycle, arms crossed. Piper couldn't help but take in every curve of her glorious body.

"Fine." Piper had almost forgotten how stubborn the brunette could be. "Hmm...how about we go get some coffee tomorrow morning? On me."

"You got it, kid." She straddled her motorcycle and slipped on her helmet. "See you tomorrow." With that, she headed off down the road. Piper took a minute to collect herself before getting into her car and heading back to her place. She took a nice hot shower and spent a good 30 minutes picking out an outfit for the following morning. She wasn't really sure if this counted as their first real date, since technically Alex was only appeasing her need to pay her back. Regardless, she was going to try to look her best. She spent the rest of her day catching up on some work responsibilities and fighting against her mind's tendency to wander. The brunette was in the back of her mind, occasionally invading the forefront, until she relinquished and decided to call it a night. Once she had run through her nighttime routine and tended to her hand, she settled in her bed with a good book.

* * *

Piper had been sitting in the agreed upon coffee shop for about 10 minutes, with no sign of Alex. She had opted for a pair of high-waisted jeans and a cropped button up sweater. The look was finished off with a pair of casual ankle boots. Piper hadn't even realized she had begun tapping her foot out of nervousness. She had arrived early, of course, but expected that Alex would be here by now. After staring at the glass double doors for what felt like an eternity, her eyes finally landed on the person she was longing to see. Alex looked incredible. She was wearing a simple outfit of black jeans and a black top, but somehow looked better than everyone else in the room. Piper was quick to stand up and when Alex reached her, she pulled her into an unexpected hug.

"Well, hello." Alex sounded both surprised and smug.

"Hey." She whispered against her ear. They pulled apart and Piper led Alex over to the coffee bar line.

"You look great, kid. How's the hand?"

"About as good as can be expected. No major pain. I've been cleaning, icing, and redressing it as the doctor suggested."

"Of course you have, model patient." She teased. "At least it's the left hand though, right? All of your important functions are still intact." For once, Piper was pretty sure that Alex wasn't alluding to sex, but that's immediately where her mind went.

"Right…" The blonde cleared her throat and turned her attention to obsessively scanning the menu, as if she didn't already know what she was going to order at her favorite coffee shop. The two made it to the counter and ordered their beverages. Piper was quick to hand over the cash and step to the side to wait for their order.

"You alright?" Alex whispered, suddenly unexpectedly close to her ear.

"Yes. Sorry, I just got a little bit distracted." Piper bit her bottom lip and desperately tried to fight off the blush she could feel rising in her cheeks.

"Do tell." The brunette smirked, noticing the change in Piper's demeanor. The blonde bumped against Alex's shoulder with her own and shook her head in mock admonishment. Once they had gotten their drinks, they made their way to a small table near the corner of the shop. They sat in silence for a moment, maintaining eye contact as they sipped their drinks.

Piper was the first to speak up. "I know that we've had a sort of...strange and tense relationship from the beginning, but I_ really _want to get to know you."

"Me too, Pipes." She smiled softly. So where do we go from here?" It was a loaded question. Piper took a moment to contemplate before deciding to be completely honest.

"Well based on the way things started between us, I think we should take things slowly this time." It would be hard for them, no doubt.

"Sounds good to me. How about we just go for a walk in the park and do some more talking?" The two did exactly that, walking around for nearly an hour. They were so enamored with each other that they hadn't quite realized how much time had passed. Their conversation flowed effortlessly and Piper found herself becoming more and more sure of the decisions she had been making as of late.

* * *

Taking things slowly proved to be even more difficult than the two women had imagined. They certainly weren't lacking in intellectual or emotional similarities, but their intense sexual chemistry made it hard for them to keep their distance. They did, however, manage just over a month of occasional dates and hanging out at each other's places.

The first time they hooked up, it was simply that. Two people enjoying the physicality of one another's presence, not really knowing each other. After dating for nearly 6 weeks, their second time was entirely different. There was an emotional vulnerability between the two that neither had ever experienced, especially Alex. They were able to enjoy not only the physical aspects of their chemistry, but express their deeper feelings in a new way. Soft touches and intimate caresses certainly weren't _always_ Alex's thing, but taking in every detail of the blonde's body wasn't something she would dare take for granted. There was plenty of time for hot, steamy sex.

The two had agreed that they wouldn't disclose their relationship to Corey and Polly until they felt a healthy amount of stability. Admittedly, Piper had a very difficult time keeping her mouth shut when it came to her best friend. She was willing to wait out of respect for Alex, though she was certain Polly was growing suspicious. After their first month, the two had made it 'official', and became rather fond of using the term 'girlfriend'. However, an additional three weeks had gone by and Alex had yet to mention this to her brother. The blonde understood her girlfriend's hesitancy, but she couldn't ignore the gnawing feeling in the pit of her stomach. The pesky voice in the back of her mind kept trying to convince her that Alex wasn't serious about them. That she was afraid to open up to her brother because she realized this commitment thing wasn't for her after all.

Piper was headed to Alex's apartment after a long day at work, and ready to spend some time wrapped up in the comfort of her arms. Things had been going rather well for the two, but Piper was beginning to feel the tension building. She didn't want to push her girlfriend, but waiting was starting to get on her nerves. She saw Polly pretty consistently and always struggled to not share what she felt to be exciting news. As she walked through the entrance, she found Alex pacing back and forth in her living area. She hadn't even noticed the blonde had arrived.

"Hey babe." Piper spoke up, hoping it would pull the brunette out of her trance. Her head snapped up and she halted to a stop. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know." She replied in a dazed tone.

"Ok...care to expand on that?" The blonde made her way over to her girlfriend and led her to take a seat on the couch, kneeling in front of her. She placed her hands on both of her kneecaps, rubbing soothing circles. Alex simply stared at her, her eyes shifting back and forth. "Babe...you're freaking me out. What's going on?"

"My mom-" She cut off. She didn't appear to be sad, but was certainly dazed.

"Is everything okay?" For a moment, Piper felt relieved that Alex's state wasn't a product of their advancing relationship. However, that relief was soon replaced with fear that something else may be wrong. The brunette had briefly touched on the fact that her mother had had some health problems when she and Corey were in their teens.

"She called me earlier."

"Alex, seriously. I know it's hard but I need you to talk to me, ok?" Piper lifted herself up slightly on her knees and moved her hands to her girlfriend's face.

"I told her. I just blurted it out." Alex let out her first small laugh since Piper had come through the door.

"About us? Ok, that's not a big deal." The blonde let out a huge sigh.

"Yes. Well _kind of_\- but no.." Alex shook her head, Piper's wrists bending to accommodate the movement. "That's not what I…"

"Ok. What did you tell her then, Al? Your mom knows essentially everything about you." Piper inquired, her eyebrows raised in confusion.

"I told her that I love you." The words fell out of Alex's mouth as if she couldn't believe she was capable of forming them. A stray tear rolled down her cheek, but the smile on her face told Piper that everything would be ok. "I fucking love you." She chuckled and the blonde wiped her tears.

"You do?" Piper was ecstatic, but didn't want to overwhelm Alex. She pulled her into a soft kiss and Alex immediately drew her in for more. One thing that Piper had learned in the past couple of months, is that the two of them tended to process their emotions in _physical _ways. Perhaps more often than they should. She allowed herself to melt into the kiss and pulled away with a huge smile. "I love you too, baby." She whispered it softly. This statement only caused Alex to start crying again, but she pulled Piper up to straddle her lap and held her in a tight hug. They sat like that for what seemed like an eternity, before Piper pulled back, desperate to look into Alex's eyes again.

"_Fuck_." Alex sniffled and wiped at her cheeks roughly. "I can't believe I'm in love with you."

"Wow. Thanks, Al." The blonde stated sarcastically.

"Ok. I admit that sounded bad, but you know what I mean." She nibbled at her bottom lip. "I've never felt like this before."

"I know what you meant. I can't believe you told your mom!" She squealed.

"Me either. It kind of just slipped out."

"Does this mean you want to tell your brother now?" Piper desperately hoped her girlfriend wasn't feeling pressured by her inability to hinder her excitement.

"I mean, we might as well before my mom goes running her mouth. She's pretty fucking excited." She placed a tender kiss on Piper's cheek. "Corey actually wanted to go out for dinner with me tonight. I could tell him to bring Polly too?"

"If you're sure that you are ready, then I'd love that." Alex offered a reassuring nod and Piper couldn't contain her smile. "How about you make reservations wherever you want? I need to go freshen up." The brunette gave her one last kiss and responded with a nod. Piper got off of her girlfriend's lap and made her way to the shower, washing off the stress of the day and allowing herself to relax into the beauty that was this moment. She had just finished lathering up her body when Alex stepped into the shower behind her. The two needed to get ready for dinner soon, but they made time to appreciate each other's bodies. Piper had been feeling it for quite some time, but this was the first time she would allow herself to acknowledge that this was love. And Alex loving her and making love to her was possibly the most profound thing she had ever felt.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: I can't say no to you guys, haha. Here's another chapter with a little bit of smut as was requested. I'm not sure how long this fic will last, but I do have a couple of other small moments that I definitely want to include. For now, here is ch 6. (Obligatory smut-is-not-my-thing-warning) -K_

* * *

Alex let her brother pick the restaurant, reasoning that that might aid in things going a bit more smoothly. As she and Piper got ready, she felt her heart rate steadily increasing. Things between her and Corey were going well. A few months back, he had even encouraged Alex to pursue Piper. Even so, this was entirely new territory for the brunette. She'd never felt so strongly about someone and, honestly, still had a hard time trusting that she wouldn't fuck everything up. She was ready within twenty minutes and watched as her girlfriend did her hair and used some of her makeup. The blonde was only wearing a loose t-shirt and a pair of underwear. She couldn't help but smile while studying her every move. Something about Piper's demeanor, especially the way that she moved her hands and arms, made the brunette's chest feel especially warm.

"Why are you watching me get ready, Al?" The blonde teased.

Alex offered a shrug. "Because I love you…?" She had always been unsure of why she took such great pleasure in watching Piper do routine things. It made sense to her that this must be what it's like to be in love. The blonde turned around and immediately pulled her girlfriend into a deep kiss.

"And I love you, but I don't stalk you." She offered with a smug grin that earned her a light slap on the ass. "Cool it, Al. Come help me find something to wear." The brunette did exactly that. Piper ended up in an off white dress that clung to her torso and flowed beautifully below her waist. She had left it at the brunette's place after a particularly steamy date night a few days ago, and figured it would be better than her work attire for this occasion. The top was a low cut v that showed off her beautiful chest and a slight amount of cleavage. Alex had already put on a pair of dark jeans, a black blazer, and a white t-shirt.

"Mmm, you look so good." Piper said, wrapping her arms around her lover and pulling their hips together. Alex's breasts always looked amazing, but she could tell she had on a light push-up bra.

"So do you, Pipes. You already know that I love this dress." The blonde offered a grin and a nod, recalling the night in which Alex showed her how much she appreciated her body both and in and outside of the dress.

"You ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." The brunette let out a sigh and willed her breathing to even out. Piper was quick to take her hand in her own and they left her apartment, making their way to the restaurant. They arrived before Corey and Polly and were led to a table near the back of the fancy establishment. As they sat and waited, Piper kept gently rubbing her hand up and down Alex's thigh, and the brunette revelled in the calming touch. When the other couple came through the door, Alex was a bit surprised. She hadn't seen Polly in quite some time and seeing her over 5 months pregnant belly was pretty surprising. Both women stood up to greet their friends with warm hugs before settling back down at the table.

Piper decided to speak up first."How have you guys been?"

"Good. Things have been really good." Corey offered a warm smile.

"That's great. I can't believe the baby is going to be here in just a few months!" The blonde was absolutely thrilled at the prospect of having a little baby around.

"I can. It feels like I've been pregnant for _ages_! I look like a whale." Polly joked.

"Oh, c'mon. You look amazing." Alex commented. Piper couldn't help but feel a bit surprised. This all seemed to be a bit out of her girlfriend's territory, but her reassuring comment was really sweet. A waitress came around to place a water in front of all of them and take their order.

"Well thank you, Alex….P, you just going to let your girlfriend hit on me like that?" Piper's eyes widened in surprise. She felt frozen until she felt a slap on her thigh from Alex.

"You told her?!" It came out as a harsh whisper, Piper stared into her girlfriend's eyes helplessly. She shook her head slightly.

"She didn't have to. She's been so happy lately and every time I mention you she tries so hard to act nonchalant." She chuckled. "You calling and telling Corey you and Piper wanted to have dinner with us was basically the confirmation I needed."

"Ok...so..how do you guys feel about this?" Alex inquired, starting intently at her brother.

"Honestly I'm worried…" Corey stated. Alex held her breath. "_But_… you know that I _always _worry about you. I truly just want you to be happy, and if that means being with Piper then I'm thrilled for the both of you." He lifted his glass of water. "Congratulations you guys." Alex let out a sigh and squeezed Piper's hand under the table.

"I _so_ knew it! You already know I'm happy about this." Polly grinned. "Just don't hurt my best friend or I'm coming for you." Her tone was playful, but Alex had feeling the small woman packed quite a punch. Fortunately, she had no intention of letting Piper go anytime soon. The conversation lulled as their waitress returned and placed all of their meals in front of them.

"-I kind of figured you had an idea, but I tried _so_ hard to keep my mouth shut."

"Your body tends to do the talking for you, Pipe." Polly teased.

"Damn right." Alex smirked and Corey let out a groan.

"Ok. I really am happy for you, but keep the suggestive talk to a minimum please." He couldn't help but smile. Corey was certainly used to his sisters antics, but still wasn't particularly fond of them.

Alex held her hands up defensively, unable to keep the smile off her face. "Alright, alright. I'll try, but I make no promises. That's just where my mind tends to go."

"One of the _many _reasons that I love you." Piper turned to place a kiss on her girlfriend's cheek. The two casually started eating their meals, not quite noticing the silence following the blonde's statement.

"Love, huh?" Polly questioned. Her fork stalled on the top of her plate. Piper cleared her throat, feeling a blush crawling up her neck and grazing her cheeks.

"Yes. I love Alex. It's a recent development, but we've actually been seeing each other for a couple of months now." Both Corey and Polly lifted their eyebrows slight surprise. "I've never felt so strongly about anyone else."

"Me either, kid."

"_Clearly_." Piper teased. "Alex said it first!" The blonde wore a triumphant grin as she exposed Alex for the softy that she really was.

"No shit. You've really got a soft spot for this one, eh?" Corey was equally giddy, having never really seen this side of his sister.

"I suppose I do."

* * *

Piper and Polly spent most of the dinner gushing over details of her upcoming baby shower. The brunette had initially thought she'd want the sex of the baby to be a surprise, but she was starting to change her mind. She asked Piper to come with the next appointment with her. She decided she'd let her learn the sex of the baby first and plan a reveal for the day of the baby shower. Needless to say, the blonde was absolutely thrilled that she'd be the first to know. Alex watched with a huge smile on her face; seeing Piper be so passionate about something was always adorable.

Polly and Corey made their way out to their car and Alex wrapped her arm around her girlfriend's waist, guiding her down the street. The two made their way down the sidewalk and Piper turned her head to place a soft kiss on the brunette's shoulder.

"Thank you for being so good with all the baby and baby shower talk. I know that stuff is probably kind of boring to you."

"No, it's fine. I'm excited for them, I've just never really been around people who are starting families and everything. New territory. My friends have always been kind of wild. Most of them aren't really the type to settle down "

"Yeah, I get that. I just...I guess I don't want you to feel like I want you to be someone else. We don't have to do all of the traditional things. I don't have to have all of that. All I need is you."

"I don't feel pressured at all. I promise. Speaking of not feeling pressured...would you-would you maybe want to meet some friends of mine?" Alex inquired apprehensively.

"Yeah, I'd like that. If that's what you want..?"

"My best friend, Nicky..I think she'd really like you."

"I'd really like to meet her then."

* * *

The following week, Alex planned a night out where Piper would officially meet her best friend of many years. She had decided to turn it into a sort of double date with both Nicky and her girlfriend. That afternoon, Piper ran around her apartment for nearly an hour, trying on everything she owned and throwing it to the floor. Alex sat on her bed, watching curiously. Initially she wore an amused smirk, but as time went by she started to get a bit impatient.

"Babe, you look incredible in literally everything." Piper walked into the room in the third little black dress she tried on and let out a groan. "What's wrong with that one?"

"It clings to me in a weird way." She ran her right hand over her stomach as she looked in the mirror, a frown on her face.

"I think it clings to you in a rather captivating way." Alex looked her girlfriend up and down in the mirror. She stood up and made her way behind Piper, wrapping her arms around her and dragging her right hand from it's spot on her stomach. "What's wrong baby?"

"I can't find anything that I like on me." She groaned. "It has to be _perfect_. I want to make a good impression."

"Pipes, you look stunning in everything you own and Nicky is going to like you no matter what. You just need to relax…" Alex dragged their linked hands under the hem of her dress and up her inner thigh. "Want me to help you out?" The blonde let out a shaky breath, and offered her first smile in what seemed like forever.

"I still need to find something to wear." Piper closed her eyes, trying to find her resolve.

"It's only 2:00. We have _plenty _of time before dinner." Alex dropped Piper's hand so she could begin rubbing her fingers up and down her slit through her underwear. She smirked when she felt that her girlfriend was already wet. "Let me make you feel good."

"Mmm, fine. Get me out of this damn dress, I hate it." The blonde groaned.

Alex did exactly that, lowering the zipper and practically ripping it off of her body. Piper wore only a lace thong and a bralette and looked absolutely incredible. Alex couldn't understand how she could ever feel insecure with such a gorgeous physique. She continued making small circles over her underwear and used her other hand to alternate between her breasts. She attempted to drag the blonde over to the bed, but was met with resistance. They locked eyes in the mirror.

"I want to watch." Alex smirked and walked to the corner of the room, grabbing their the blonde's armchair and placing it in front of the full-length mirror. She motioned for her to sit down and leaned down to initiate a steamy kiss.

Piper responded eagerly, her hands gripping her girlfriends jaw. Alex unhooked Piper's bra and threw it across the room, immediately dropping to the floor and taking a hard nipple into her mouth.

"Fuck, yes." Piper groaned out and her head fell back momentarily. The brunette continued her path down her body, placing sloppy kisses and soft bites. It wasn't until Alex had settled on the ground, that Piper remembered what she had requested. She looked into the mirror and groaned at the sight of Alex kneeling between her legs, her ass looking gorgeous in her dark skinny jeans. She stripped Piper of her underwear and continued her journey on her inner thighs. When she finally made contact with her core, Piper's legs were already quaking.

Watching the bobbing motion of Alex's head in their reflection was making it even harder for Piper to contain herself. She dropped one of her hands to grip the long dark locks, and the other searched for her girlfriends hand. Alex felt the blonde's hand on her own and immediately interlocked their fingers, letting out a light moan against her center.

"Uhn...Alex. Right there." Piper moaned out and Alex focused her attention on her clit. She retreated momentarily, taking another long lick up her. The blonde tightened her grip, begging her to refocus her attention on her pulsing clit. She was ready and desperate to come all over her lover's face. "Please- _fuck_." Alex eventually relented, giving her girlfriend what she knew she was craving. Moments later, Piper felt an orgasm washing over her and bucked gently against the brunette's face. She rode out every last wave of pleasure before she finally relaxed back against the chair. She felt Alex rubbing he hands up and down her thighs as she tried to catch her breath.

"You alright there, Pipes?" Alex had a huge grin on her face which was covered in her girlfriend's juices.

"Fuck off." The blonde panted out. "That was so sexy oh my god…" After a few moments, Piper had regained her energy and was more than ready to return the favor to her gorgeous girlfriend. "Your turn."

Alex smirked at her. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah." Piper made quick work of stripping her lover and let out a satisfied sigh as she took in her nude form. The brunette made her way over to sit in the same arm chair, but Piper grabbed her wrist to stop her.

"Uh-uh." She pushed the chair back to its original spot.

"I can't get in bed with you Pipes, my hair is already done for tonight."

"I don't want you on the bed." Piper settled on the floor and lay on her back, her feet toward the mirror.

"Not sure that laying on the floor is any better."

"Who said anything about lying down? I want you to sit, baby." The blonde patted the floor on either side of her head and offered a clumsy wink.

Normally the brunette would tease her girlfriend about that, but she was far too horny to comment at the given moment. She walked until she was standing over Piper and dropped to straddle her waist, pulling her into a deep kiss. The two continued their makeout, hands roaming all over each other. Eventually, Alex began scooting up to settle over the blonde's face.

"Mm-m. Other way baby, I want you to look in the mirror." Alex turned around and straddled her girlfriend's face. Piper immediately started eating her out and the brunette's eyes fell to her girlfriend pussy in their reflection. She could see that the blonde was practically creating a puddle on the floor.

Watching Piper's jaw opening and taking all of her into her mouth from this angle was making her weak in the knees. She was certain she'd never seen anything sexier. That is, until she watched Piper's right hand slide down her body to rub circles around her own clit. She moaned against her core, but her tongue never faltered. She continued with broad licks and gentle sucks until Alex was right on the edge. The brunette could tell by the rocking of Piper's hips against her own hand that she was close too. Seconds later, she allowed the pleasure to take over her and watched as her come dripped down the blonde's sharp jaw and long neck. Piper had her second orgasm of the morning immediately afterwards and her moaning sent Alex into a second orgasm of her own, bucking as gently as she could against her face.

The brunette carefully maneuvered herself off of her girlfriend and settled on the floor next to her, breathing still labored. The two both took their time and catching their breath and offering softer, more loving touches to each other. Piper simply offered a soft smile to her girlfriend. One that was far too innocent and adorable to come from someone who just had her face buried in her girlfriend's pussy. After some time, the blonde stood on still-shaky legs and grabbed a dusty pink off the shoulder dress from the floor. It was the fourth dress she had tried on and she had previously complained about the way that her chest looked in it. This time, however, she kept the dress on, looking in the mirror with only a satisfied smile. Alex roamed around the room to find her own items of clothing and got dressed for the second time that day.


	7. Chapter 7

_A/N: Thanks so much for the continued reviews and support. I'm glad to see that you guys are still enjoying this story. Particularly pleased that you approve of the smut as I am already not a writer, and most definitely not a sexy writer haha. This chapter is a bit of a short one but covers some important plot points._

* * *

The blonde had continued her rush around her apartment even after Alex's steamy attempt to calm her nerves. Any time Alex tried to reassure her, it seemed like the blonde only got more discouraged and annoyed. Eventually, the brunette gave up and settled on the couch to wait until her girlfriend was ready. The two decided to take a cab to the bar where they were to meet with Nicky and Lorna. The brunette couldn't help but stare at her girlfriend throughout the ride. She looked incredible; the dress she had finally landed on was one of Alex's favorites. The color really complemented her gorgeous complexion. The dress's tight fit also meant that she tended to wear it with nothing underneath, which was always a plus. Alex scanned down the blonde's gorgeous long legs before they landed on her heels, her right foot bouncing anxiously. The brunette slid her hand over her girlfriend's thigh attempting to put her at ease.

"Just breathe, Pipes."

"I _am _breathing." She replied, her tone sharp. Her leg continued to bounce under Alex's palm and she turned to look out the window.

"Ok...sorry." Alex retracted her hand and placed it awkwardly on the leather seat in between them. She cleared her throat and mirrored her girlfriend's actions, staring out at the city streets. After a few minutes, she heard Piper let out a sigh and felt her hand settling over her own. Alex turned curiously, but the blonde was still looking out the window. Her thumb rubbed soft circles on Alex's hands, wordlessly saying _I'm sorry_.

They walked into the bar hand-in-hand. Neither of them had said a word for the rest of the cab ride, but the tension between them was melting away as quickly as it had arrived. Alex immediately led her girlfriend to a table where she had spotted Nicky. Even in the crowded bar, the woman's wild hair was hard to miss. Alex could feel the sweat forming on Piper's palm against her own. She was starting to feel bad. Maybe she had pressured her too much. It was too late now.

"Vause!" Nicky called out with a huge grin. She stood up and pulled her friend into a hug. Alex's hand was pulled out of Piper's grip by the force.

"Hey Nick." Alex pulled back from the embrace. "Morello, it's so good to see you." She pulled the short brunette into a quick hug before retreating to officially introduce her girlfriend. "Guys, this is Piper. Piper this is Nicky and Lorna." She motioned between the two.

"It's so nice to meet you." Piper extended her right hand to each of them. They both accepted it, but looked slightly confused. Piper felt her face heating up, maybe a handshake was a bit too formal. Alex slid into one side of the booth and Piper followed her, smiling awkwardly at the redhead across from her. She wore a smirk not unlike the one that often appeared on Alex's face.

Nicky had already ordered a pitcher of beer for the table, and when the waiter came back around, he took everyone's order for dinner. Piper had worked up quite an appetite today. She was so nervous about tonight that she hadn't actually eaten anything yet. She opted for a veggie sandwich and eagerly sipped on her beer while waiting eagerly for food. The conversation flowed easily, and Piper felt herself becoming more relaxed. Nicky and Lorna were both pretty chill, and very open about their support for Alex. She reasoned that her relaxed state was also due to the alcohol on an empty stomach, but wasn't going to complain. However, being a lightweight in general, she was already starting to feel a bit tipsy and decided it might be good to slow down. She excused herself to go to the restroom. After she had gone to the bathroom and washed her hands, Alex walked in.

"Everything ok?"

"Yeah…" Piper wiped her hands over her face, staring at her reflection. "I-I'm just feeling a little dizzy. Must be the beer."

"Already?" Alex walked over to her and placed a hand on her lower back. "I know you're a lightweight, kid, but you've just had a little over a glass." She chuckled.

"Yeah, I think I just haven't eaten enough today."

"Oh, well what'd you have for breakfast?" Alex watched as her girlfriend bit her lip in their reflection. She shrugged.

"I must have forgotten."

"Did you at least have a good lunch?"

"No. No, I just- I've been nervous all day and I guess I didn't really think about eating anything. I'll be alright, though."

"Pipes, you can't just _not eat_ all day." One of Alex's hands slid up to her girlfriend's jaw, turning her face so their eyes met.

"I know, I'm sorry. And I'm sorry for snapping at you so much today. I just want your friends to like me. I'm not really good at meeting new people; I always say the wrong thing."

"It's ok, babe. I know that you didn't mean it, ok? You're doing just fine. I promise." Her hand slid away, and Piper immediately missed the feeling. "Now I'm gonna go check on your food because you need something to eat." The two exited the bathroom and Piper made her way back to the table while Alex headed to see if their meals were almost ready. She returned with a basket of fries and slid next to her girlfriend. "They should have our food at any second, but you should start eating these for now."

"Babe, I can't eat a bunch of fried food-" Piper stopped talking when Alex shot her a look.

"You need to eat."

Piper obliged, eating a few fries before her actual meal arrived. She started to feel much better with a little bit of food in her stomach and was able to actually enjoy her time with Alex's friends. Nicky was a bit crass, but seeing the dynamic between her and Alex made Piper's chest feel so full and warm. The blonde found herself getting along quite well with Lorna. The two spent time talking about various vacation destinations and bonding over the fact that they both forced their girlfriends to watch cheesy rom-coms. As soon as they had finished their meals, Nicky was dragging Lorna to the dance floor. Piper smiled and decided she and Alex should do the same. Alex gripped Piper's waist and held her tight against her. The blonde revelled in the feeling.

"Hey, I'm proud of you." Alex whispered against her ear.

Piper turned in her arms. "Yeah?"

"Yeah. I know today has been difficult, but I'm really grateful that you've pushed past your anxieties to do this for me. It means a lot."

"I'm glad I did it. I love being getting to be a part of your life in another aspect."

"Me too, babe. I love you." The brunette wore a dorky grin, leaning in to place a tender kiss on her lips.

"I love you too, Al."

* * *

It was late on the following friday and Piper burst through Alex's apartment door. She immediately started searching for her, tightly gripping the paper in her hand. When she didn't find her in the living area she headed straight to the bedroom. She found that room empty as well, but heard the shower running faintly through the door. The door was unlocked so she let herself in, calling out to her girlfriend.

"Alex!"

"Oh, hey babe." She called out over the sound of the running water. "How'd it go?"

"So good! _Oh my gosh_. She got an ultrasound and I saw the baby's adorable little face!" She gushed, making her way over to look at her girlfriend through the slightly foggy shower door. Piper couldn't help but take in the delicious curves of her body that were slightly blurred by the steam.

"Did you find out the sex?" Alex turned off the shower and got out, wrapping her towel around her.

"Nope. I have it in here." She lifted an envelope in her right hand.

"Wow, that's a surprising amount of restraint for you." The brunette smirked.

"Shut up." Piper scoffed. "I wanted to wait and see if you wanted to know too. We could find out at the same time and then you could help me figure out how to do the reveal." A slight blush rose on her cheeks.

"Yeah, ok. Just let me get dressed and dry my hair." Alex couldn't help but tease her, knowing just how hard it must have been for Piper to resist peeking on the whole journey to her apartment.

She was greeted with a smack on her towel-covered ass. "You're not funny, Vause." Piper immediately gripped her hand and dragged her back out into the bedroom, nearly causing her to fall. They settled on the mattress together. "Ready?"

"Yes." The blonde practically shredded the envelope, ripping a small piece of paper from it's confines. She held it between them and slowly unfolded it.

* * *

The next morning, Piper was up bright and early, dragging Alex out into town. She was eager to get the final supplies for her best friend's baby shower the following day. All of the basic details were already settled, but she hadn't gotten anything for the reveal yet. Bombarded by tons of blue and pink, Alex and Piper decided to keep it simple. She had already decided to decorate the shower with Polly's favorite color combination of cranberry and gold. She checked with her best friend and she gave her permission to do the reveal however she saw fit.

She headed over to Polly and Corey early the next day to get all of the decorating and food sorted. Alex met her there about an hour later, looking absolutely stunning. A bunch of the expecting couple's friends filed in and enjoyed the spread of food that Piper had set up. The shower went by pretty quickly. Piper and her best friend had never been fond of baby shower games, so she kept them to a minimum. Polly opened a few gifts here and there and things were coming to a natural conclusion. Piper tapped on her glass to give a quick speech:

"Polly. You are the first friend that I ever made, and the best friend that I've ever had. I am so grateful to have been by your side through everything. When you first told me about Corey, I was a bit apprehensive." This comment was met with a few laughs. "_But _when I met him for the first time, I could see how amazing he was-and most importantly- how happy he made you. I am so excited that you guys are starting your family and I can't wait to meet your sweet little baby..." Polly looked at her expectantly, and Piper simply smiled. She knew her friend was most definitely growing impatient. Alex stood from her seat next to Piper and wrapped an arm around her.

"Ditto." She winked at her brother, raising her glass.

"Very eloquent, Alexandra." Corey rolled his eyes, trying to fight off a smile.

"Hey...I wasn't done yet. I'm so happy for the both of you. Your relationship has sort of given me something to aspire to. _And_ without you being with Polly I probably never would have met Piper. So I guess a 'congratulations' and a 'thank you' are in order. You know that I love you guys...With all that being said, I can't wait to meet my _nephew _in just a few months." Alex wore a huge, smug grin.

* * *

_A/N: I hope you guys like the way that I went about the reveal of the baby's sex. I didn't really feel like dealing with all the blue and pink mumbo jumbo, and I'm clearly a sucker for the softer side of Alex, anyway. PS: To the guest who commented about Alex reassuring Piper in the bathroom, I'm slightly concerned that you are actually inside my head ;). -K_


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Hey all! Hope you are all doing well; sorry it's been a moment. I actually had to have a minor surgical procedure on the day of the Season 7 premiere :/ , so I've just been trying to take it easy. I'm not sure if more is to come for this story or not, but I'm in quite a bit of pain at the moment so I'm just hoping what I've written here actually makes sense haha. -K_

* * *

"Have you guys been thinking about any names, yet?" Piper, Alex, Polly, and Corey were settled in the living room.

"We've definitely been thinking about it. Now that we know we're having a boy, it'll be a little easier to narrow it down."

"Hopefully. We have a pretty substantial list. Seems like we always gravitate towards 'A' names, though." Alex shot Corey a look and Piper watched curiously. "I'm not going to steal your idea, don't worry." He chuckled.

"Steal what idea?" The blonde inquired.

"She's always liked the name Aiden for a boy." He shrugged.

"It's an anagram of our mom's name." Alex's face was redder than Piper had ever seen it.

"Aww, that's really sweet. I didn't know you thought about that kind of stuff."

"I mean, doesn't everyone..? I guess I just thought about it when I was younger, y'know. Before you really know if you're going to want kids or not." Piper wasn't sure how to take this comment. Did this mean that kids were still a possibility, or just some distant idea she had entertained whilst growing up?

"Well you don't have to worry, because 'Aiden' isn't on our list." He reassured his sister, gently patting her thigh. Piper was left speechless. She hadn't really allowed herself to entertain the idea of having children with Alex.

* * *

A few days later, Alex left Piper and Nicky in her apartment as she ran out to grab some dinner. Nicky was sprawled out across the couch, smoking a cigarette and Piper walked over to sit on the coffee table across from her. She couldn't keep her curiosity at bay. "Has Alex ever talked to you about kids?"

"What...like her childhood?" She sat up slightly, making eye contact.

"No." Piper let out a nervous laugh. "I mean like _having _kids."

"Hmm…" Nicky fiddled with her cigarette. "Not that I can recall, Blondie. Wh- well hot damn…" She smirked and took another long drag. "...she wants to knock you up?"

"Uhh, I don't know about _that_,but she casually talked about potential baby names the other day when we were with Corey and Polly. It kind of threw me off, and I can't stop thinking about it."

"You want my honest opinion?" Piper offered a hesitant nod. The redhead sat up and stubbed her cigarette out in the empty ashtray Alex kept around. "Alex doesn't really seem like the type..._but _she's always been surprisingly soft past that tough exterior. I've never seen her be quite as loving as she is with you in any other relationship. She's got a soft spot for you, kid."

"Well _yeah_. I mean I know that, and I love that about her. I just never really thought about having kids with her. I sort of just assumed that's not something that she'd want."

"So what...you're gonna bail on her? I thought you liked kids."

"What? No, of course not! I love kids. I've just been okay with the idea of no kids if it meant I'd get to have Alex. But thinking that I might get to have both...I- I guess I just don't want to get my hopes up. "

"Well you're talking to the wrong lesbian, then. I don't have your answers."

"Yeah...right."

When Alex returned, she found Nicky still sprawled across the couch and Piper sitting on the edge of her coffee table. She was bent over, her head resting in her hands. She was wiggling her fingers slightly, causing them to tap against her forehead, something Alex only knew her to do when she was deep in thought.

"Everything alright?" Piper's head snapped up. Nicky very slowly turned to face her friend, offering a helpless shrug.

"I actually think I have to head out. Lorna texted me and said she needed some help with something." Alex could tell this was a blatant lie, but decided to let it slide. Clearly something had happened during her brief run to the sandwich shop.

"Yeah alright." She pulled the redheads sandwich out of the bag and plopped it in her hand. "Here's your dinner. Have fun with Lorna." Nicky nodded and headed out the door, mouthing a 'good luck' to Alex.

The brunette turned to find Piper staring at the now empty couch, once again lost in thought. This time her arms were hung by her side and her fingertips were wiggling toward the floor. Alex set their food on the counter before making her way over to sit across from her girlfriend.

"Hey, baby. You okay?" Piper's gaze happened to be stuck right where Alex's cleavage landed. The brunette normally would've made a joke about it, but she decided now wasn't a good time. Finally her eyes snapped up to meet her gaze. "Did Nicky say something that upset you?"

"No. I just...I have to ask you something."

"Ok..?"

"Do you want to have kids?"

"Like right now...or?" Alex raised an eyebrow, smirk plastered on her face.

"You're not funny, y'know? I'm trying to be serious." The blonde shook her head and wore a small smile.

"I don't know, Pipes. I didn't think I did...but I also didn't think I'd ever fall in love with someone like I have with you."

"I don't want you to feel pressured, Al. I want to be with you no matter what. I _promise_." Piper reached out to grab her hands. "I just want to know what to expect."

"Ok. I don't feel pressured, I just haven't really thought about it. There's no one I'd rather have kids with than you, _kid._ But not anytime soon." She added with a nervous chuckle.

"Of course not. We've got time." Piper smiled widely, biting her bottom lip.

"But you're going to do the carrying."

"Deal."

* * *

Piper was ecstatic. Everything seemed to be working out perfectly for her. She had a girlfriend that she loved and a job that was rewarding enough to make the stressful days worth it. On particularly tough days, she's go right past her own apartment building and head straight to Alex's place. The brunette always knew how to help her relax and put a smile on her face. For the next few months, every time she hung out with Polly, she thought about the same thing: the possibility that one day she could have her own kid. She pictured Polly's son being there to play with and protect her own future child.

For their 5 month anniversary, Alex had a special date night planned. When Piper arrived home from a long day at work, she was a bit upset. She had sent the brunette a text that morning and gotten nothing in response. However, when she made her way into the bedroom she found an outfit laid out on her bed. It was a short floral dress and a pair of strappy heels. Her eyes fell on a small box and envelope placed above the garment. She opened the card to see a small note.

Happy 5 months, Pipes. I love you so much. Take your time getting ready and I'll see you at 6:30. Hope you like the new outfit. I know I will ;)

Love,

Alex

Piper's face lit up. She opened the small box to find a gorgeous minimalistic silver ring with Alexandrite in it; her birthstone. She let out a quiet gasp as she took it in. She carefully placed it back on the bed and made her way to the bathroom to rinse off in preparation for the night to come. She was careful to avoid messing up her hair and makeup, but enjoyed the hot water running over her tense shoulder muscles. After her shower, she eagerly slipped on some sexy underwear as well as her new outfit. As she looked in the mirror, she couldn't help but smile. The dress fit like a glove. She made her way into the bathroom to touch up her hair and makeup. The final touches were the ring and shoes. There was a knock on her door and she made her way out to answer it. It was Alex. She was looking gorgeous in a sexy black suit and holding a bouquet of white roses. The signature red on her plump lips had Piper eager to feel them against her own.

"You have a key, y'know?" Piper chuckled, letting her girlfriend in.

"I know, but that kind of takes away from the gesture. You look amazing, Pipes." She took in her girlfriend's form, more than satisfied with the outfit she'd gotten for her.

"I feel amazing; this dress fits perfectly. And_ you _look absolutely stunning."

The two women shared a lovely romantic dinner. Alex had made reservations at Piper's favorite italian restaurant. Both women were slightly eager to get through the dinner, though, as they hadn't been able to spend the night together for the past few days. By the time they were on their way back to Piper's place, they were both getting quite handsy.

As soon as they were through the entrance, Alex had her girlfriend backed up against the door. She was quick to break their heated kiss, and made her way down her body, lifting the bottom of her dress. The brunette's phone began ringing in her pocket, but she did her best to ignore it. She continued teasing her girlfriend, kissing and nipping at her upper thighs. As soon as her phone had stopped vibrating, it began going off again. She groaned in frustration and pulled it from pocket, chucking it across the room where it bounced off of Piper's couch and landed on the floor with a harsh thud. There was a good chance her screen had taken a hit, but neither woman had it in them to care. Just as she was pulling off Piper's underwear, the blonde's phone started going off as well. She had asked Alex to carry it for her in her jacket pocket. Piper let out a small groan and pulled her lover up from the ground, snatching her phone from the pocket.

"Hey Pol, what's up?" She answered the call, breathing slightly labored. Alex immediately started placing open-mouthed kisses on her neck, feeling rather impatient.

"Piper! It's Corey, actually."

"Oh, hey. Is everything alright?" This comment caused Alex to pull back and watch her girlfriend carefully.

"Everything is amazing. The baby is coming!"

"Oh my god! Really?!"

"Yes. She's had contractions for most of the day and we've been in the hospital for a few hours. Polly really wants you here if you can make it. Shouldn't be too much longer before she can start pushing."

"Ok. I'll be right there!" Alex eyed her curiously as she hung up and immediately ran to her bedroom. She followed her.

"Pipes, what's going on?"

"The baby is coming! We have to get to the hospital!" They both rushed around, changing into more suitable clothes before heading to the hospital. When they arrived, they got Polly's room number from the woman at the front desk and headed up to her floor. They made it to her room and found Polly sitting up in the hospital bed, Corey standing by her side.

"Oh, Alex. I didn't know you were coming."

"Yeah, Piper told me." She shrugged.

"I tried to call you twice! You can answer your girlfriend but not your brother."

"I didn't have to answer, we were already together."

"I'm sorry, Pipe. I knew you and Alex had an anniversary date, so I tried to convince Corey to hold off as long as possible. Baby boy is ready to get out of here." She chuckled before letting out a light gasp as another contraction came over her. Piper was quick to move to her friends side and take the hand that wasn't in Corey's. The blonde felt her chest swelling as her girlfriend came around the side with her.

"It's all good. I'm happy he called, I wouldn't miss this for the world."

They all stood by Polly's side as she was finally able to start pushing. Piper was pretty sure her hand was crumbling under the pressure of her friend's grasp, but she wanted to be there for her. Alex must have noticed the pained look on her girlfriend's face, because eventually she stepped in and replaced her hand with her own. Their baby boy was born only about an hour later. He came out crying and screaming, his cute little body a bright pink. Piper couldn't help but let a few tears fall as she lay eyes on her best friend's child for the first time. She was brought out of her trance only when she heard Alex sniffle. She looked over to see that she had been crying as well and planted a light kiss on her cheek.

"He's perfect, Pol." Piper whispered, rubbing her friend's hair off of her sweat-covered forehead.

"I can't believe he's really here." She let out a huge sigh that held both tremendous joy and relief. After the nurses were done checking his vitals and measurements, the baby was placed in his mom's arms for the very first time.

"God, he's beautiful...have you guys decided on a name yet?" Alex inquired.

"This is Alexander Dane Vause. We'll call him Xander for short, just so things don't get too confusing." Corey explained.

"Oh my god. Are you sure you guys want to do that?" Alex had fresh tears pouring down her cheeks. Piper wiped at her girlfriends eyes.

"Of course we are. Plus it's too late to change it now; I just had them fill out the birth certificate." He added with a smirk. They each took turns holding the small child. Alex couldn't help but wear a huge smile as she watched her girlfriend holding the baby and expertly bouncing him in her arms. Then it was her turn.

"I can't believe you're a dad, now!"

"You're and aunt now, too. I can't imagine the questionable guidance you're going to offer my poor, impressionable son."

"I may not _technically_ be his aunt, but I'll be right there to clean up the messes that she makes." Piper teased, rubbing her hand up and down Alex's lower back.

"You're an honorary aunt." Polly reassured her best friend of many years.

"Yeah, yeah."

"You could_ legally_ be his aunt one day, as well." Hearing this from Corey meant a lot. The blonde couldn't help but smile at the thought of potentially marrying Alex one day. Piper felt her face heating up and he gave a knowing smile.

"Could be." Alex smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: Whew, recovering from surgery kind of sucks! I have so many mixed feelings about season 7 I don't really know what to think. I honestly had no idea how I wanted to expand on this story, but the suggestion of Alex finally meeting the Chapmans led me to writing this. This one is for the drama lovers ;) Any feedback would be appreciated! -K_

* * *

Alex took a few minutes to search her girlfriend's apartment before she found her sitting on the edge of her bed, facing the windows. She somehow looked both adorable and sexy. Her dark grey leggings accented the enthralling length and tone of her legs, and her thin cami left very little to the imagination. The brunette noted the slight sheen on her smooth skin and assumed her girlfriend had finished her usual morning run and shower. Alex was quick to approach her. She failed to notice that Piper's right hand was holding her cell phone up to her ear.

"Hey baby, how was your ru-" She was cut off by the blonde's hand clasping over her mouth, her blue eyes widening.

"What? No, sorry. I- I just have the TV on." Piper stuttered out. Alex raised an eyebrow curiously. "No- I know. Yes…" The blonde rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry. I _am_ listening, I swear. What?"

The blonde's eyebrows furrowed and she stood abruptly, her left hand rising from it's position on Alex's mouth and landing in her hair. The brunette watched as her fingertips tapped at the top of her head; a telltale sign that something was wrong. Piper was now pacing, her gorgeous body growing more and more tense.

"Where are you?...Is she okay?...Well, what does that mean!?...I know that. I'm sorry I didn't mean to I- I just." Alex couldn't help but notice that Piper had uttered the phrase 'I'm sorry' multiple times since within just the past minute. "_Fuck_." Her voice was shaky, but she let out a sigh that Alex recognized as a sign of relief. "Ok. No, I want to be there. I _need_ to be there. I'm on my way." Shaky hands hung up the phone and immediately grabbed a backpack from the floor. The brunette observed helplessly as Piper threw seemingly random articles of clothing into the pack and zipped it up.

"Piper….baby." Alex uttered the tender term after she was met with no response. The blonde finally turned, slinging the backpack over her shoulder. Her eyes were glassy and her chest was rising and falling at an alarming pace. "What's going on."

"My grandma." She swallowed harshly. "She had a fall and is in hospital. I need to go see her."

"Oh, shit. Ok. How is she doing?"

"Doctors said she's fine other than a mild fracture in her wrist. They'll probably keep her a while for more testing, though, as she's older."

"Alright. Well that's good then, right?" The blonde offered an unenthusiastic shrug.

"I guess, yeah. I'm sorry. I can't really think right now. I need to get on the road before I lose it. Ummm… I know I was supposed to come with you to that event tonight, but I just -I."

"Jesus, Piper. Fuck the event. It's not a big deal." Alex was being humble. The event was a dinner party in celebration of a deal at her company that had been successful largely because of her. "I'm going to come with you."

"No. You should stay here. It's fine. Grandma Celeste is going to be alright, I just really _need_ to go see her." Piper had been running around her room for the past few minutes, desperately searching for her car keys. Alex couldn't help but notice how her hands were trembling each time she checked a surface or scattered a few objects. She turned to find Alex holding her keys up with a sad smile.

"They were at the foot of the bed. And you're not going through this alone." The brunette walked over to her and pulled her into a hug. The embrace made it clear that nearly every muscle in the blondes body was quivering slightly, not just those in her hands. "You shouldn't be driving an hour and a half right now, you can't stop shaking." Alex taking control in this moment transported Piper to their interaction many months back, when the brunette had come to her rescue after her hand injury. She smiled fondly at the memory. Alex surely was good in a crisis.

* * *

Piper settled down slightly after the pair got on the road. She was lost in thought, eyes tracking the road. She had somehow started counting the white dashes on the highway and now she couldn't stop. It wasn't particularly productive, but any distraction was more than welcome. Alex broke the silence.

"Pipes. I love you. Like more than anything-" The blonde finally snapped out of her trance, eyeing her girlfriend. "_But_, if you don't stop tapping on the dashboard I think I'm going to lose my mind."

"Fuck. I'm sorry." The blonde hadn't even been aware of her nervous finger wiggling/tapping habit until Alex had pointed it out to her. She seemed to notice her subtle ticks more than anyone else ever could. Piper could understand it, though. She was certain she had every movement of her girlfriend's memorized. The way her eyebrows would wiggle, or take on an arched position when she was amused. How they'd furrow and be accompanied by pursed lips when she was deep in thought. The way her tongue slid over her top teeth when she was fighting off a smirk.

"It's alright, love. It's okay to be nervous. _Trust me_\- I know it's hard to see someone you love in the hospital- but the doctors said everything looks fine as of right now. Just focus on that."

"I'm not only nervous about her. I mean, I _am_." Piper sighed, realizing how selfish she probably sounded. "It's just this is all kind of...sudden. I didn't expect you to be meeting my parents."

"What's the big deal? I'm _clearly _not a relationship expert, but 5 months seems like a good amount of time before meeting the parents…." She shrugged. Piper tried to fight off her annoyance at Alex's obliviousness. "I mean- you met my mom after the first time we ever fucked, so." This earned her a light jab in the side from Piper's elbow.

"The 'big deal' is that my parents aren't like your mom, Al. They're harsh, and judgemental, and…...stressful to be around. _Especially _my mom." Piper wiped at her forehead. "And you're not funny." The light chuckle the blonde let out took away from any severity in her tone. "That was _so fucking stressful_ in the moment." There was more silence and Alex noted that the finger tapping had continued. This time the blonde was tapping on her own thigh, causing the noise to be muffled. She sighed. It was hard to watch her girlfriend be so uncomfortable.

"You don't have to tell them that we're together, y'know?" The offer was genuine, but she couldn't help but acknowledge the clenching in her stomach._ Would Piper ever fess up about being in love with her? Would she always be too ashamed?_

"Really?" Piper's fingers stalled for the second time. Her tone was hopeful.

"Yes, really. I'm doing this because I want to be here for you. Whatever that means. If you need me to just be a friend, then I'll just be a friend." Alex offered a shrug. _That was simple enough, right? _Just friends.

"I love you so much." Piper sighed. She took one of her girlfriends hands in her own, placing a soft kiss on the back.

"I love you too, Pipes." _So much. More than you'll ever know_. The brunette wasn't very pleased with their agreement, but she'd do anything for the blonde. Sometimes she just struggled to understand her hesitancy. The fact that Piper's fingers remained stagnant for the rest of the car ride was enough to reassure her; it was worth it.

* * *

When they arrived at the hospital, Piper's mother greeted them at the front. She pulled Piper into what could only be described as a perfunctory hug. The stiffness of the embrace between a mother and daughter almost made Alex shiver in distaste.

"Piper. Your grandmother will be so happy to see you." Carol offered a sad smile. "Although, it took you so long to get here that she's fallen asleep again. Doctors said it's best to let her rest and recover."

"I'm sorry. We got here as fast as we could." Piper knew for a fact that Alex had been pushing the speed limit the entire drive, so there was no reason for either of them to feel guilty.

"I can see that." She took in Piper's appearance, clearly unhappy with her workout clothes and lack of makeup. "And who is the other half of this we?"

"Oh." Piper cleared her throat nervously. "This is my..._friend_, Alex. She's actually Corey's younger sister."

"Ah, yes of course. Pleasure to meet you." She stretched out a hand.

"Likewise." Alex offered an uncharacteristically wide smile.

"How are Polly and Corey these days?"

"They're doing great, mom." Piper rolled her eyes.

"Such a catch, that Corey. So caring and quite the looker. It's clear you have excellent genes." She told Alex. "Wouldn't happen to have another brother around your age?"

"Uh. No- I'm afraid not." Alex couldn't help but chuckle. _The irony._ Piper simply watched with wide eyes, not expecting things to go in this direction.

"Mother, please stop trying to set me up with people. And leave poor Alex alone."

"I'm just saying, you're not getting any younger. Don't you want to have a nice little family like Polly? I'm sure Alex understands where I'm coming from, yes?"

"Absolutely." Alex nodded. Piper was feeling a strange mixture of annoyance and adoration for the brunette. Of course her mother would like Alex more than her...until she learned that it was _her daughter_ she wanted to have a 'nice little family' with, that is.

After their tense greeting, the three women made their way back to Celeste's room. Piper felt her chest pounding at the sight of her grandmother laying in the hospital bed. Bill was sat by her side, holding her uninjured hand. She was fine; all of her monitors were steady and she even wore a small smile as she slept. Still, it was rather distressing to see her hooked up to multiple machines. Grandma Celeste had always been tougher than nails and always took up for Piper, even when she made mistakes. It was hard to see her getting older. Piper felt her legs growing unsteady. Ever perceptive, Alex wrapped an arm around her waist and gripped her securely.

"Fuck." She whispered, feeling tears collecting in her eyes. She felt like an idiot. Carol Chapman was not one for emotional displays. Some of Piper's earliest memories were of her mom prying her from her legs and telling her to grow up. To stop embarrassing her. And for fucks sake, Alex had been through much worse than this with her own damn mother. This was a fall, not a terminal illness. "I'm sorry." She wiped angrily at the tears on her cheeks, issuing a vague apology to everyone in the room.

"Stop. It's _fine_." Frankly, Alex was tired of hearing the phrase from the blonde today. It just felt so wrong. "You don't have anything to apologize for, babe." She placed a firm kiss on her cheek.

Under any other circumstances, Alex's touch would have brought the blonde the sense of comfort she had been longing to feel all morning. However, feeling Carol Chapman's scrutinizing gaze on the two of them caused a panic to emerge in her stomach and expand until she could feel the pressure all the way at the top of her throat. She was quick to step away, feeling Alex's hand fall off of her waist, and run to the hospital restrooms. The blonde burst through two doors and fell to her knees on the cold tile floor. It was best to crouch near the toilet in case she was unable to fight the anxiety she could feel at the back of her throat. She tried to rein in her breaths

Piper stiffened slightly when she heard someone else come into the restroom. _Please don't let me throw up in front of some poor, unsuspecting stranger_. She couldn't bring herself to close the stall door behind her, willing the lump in her throat to surrender, instead of come up in a rather unpleasant way.

"Pipes?" It was Alex. The blonde let out a sigh and felt Alex crouching near her. "_Shit._ Are you alright?" Piper held up a shaky finger, signaling that she didn't think she could speak yet without losing her breakfast. She felt her girlfriend rubbing at her lower back. As much as she wanted to relish in the touch, it only made her more nauseous. She fought a few heaves before settling back on her heels. "It's alright babe, just breathe." The affectionate term reminded Piper of the exact reason that she found herself on the germy floor of a public restroom and she suddenly felt a new emotion brewing at the pit of her stomach.

"Alex. What the fuck?!" She exclaimed. In the back of her mind, she knew that Alex didn't deserve to be yelled at right now. But the anger was a welcome relief from her nauseous state.

"What?" The brunette held her hands up in surrender.

"What is fucking wrong with you? You can't call me 'babe' in front of my mom! You fucking said you wouldn't push anything, and then you go and pull that." Piper shot to her feet and went over to a sink, washing her face and taking a sip of the water. "I was _going_ to tell her. I just wasn't quite ready yet…"

"I'm sorry, Pipes. I wasn't even thinking. I swear it just slipped out!" Alex was stood just outside the stall, clearly unsure of whether or not she should approach her girlfriend.

"Yeah, well...now I have to fucking deal with it. So thanks." The brunette felt like shit as she watched Piper wiping at the tears that fought their way out of the corners of her gorgeous blue eyes._ How had she fucked this up?_

"It's going to be alright. I'll be by your side the whole time."

"I think that you should go." Piper shook her head. The words felt like a betrayal coming out of her mouth. How was it possible that she both desperately wanted to cling to Alex and could barely stand to look her in the eyes?

"Pipes…"

"I'm serious, Al. Just leave me alone. I have to deal with this fucking mess and I don't need you making it any worse."


	10. Chapter 10

_ A/N: Thanks so much for your feedback, guys! This chapter just sort of flowed out of me in a very interesting way; especially toward the end. I hope you enjoy. _

* * *

It took a few moments for Piper to collect herself after she watched Alex walk away. The brunette looked absolutely shattered and Piper tried desperately to shove her expression from the forefront of her mind. Regardless of how overwhelmed she was feeling, she needed to pull it together and be there for her grandma._ One more deep breath._ In and out._ Okay, maybe one more._

As Piper neared the room, she could hear her mother ranting to her father. She tried her best to ignore the panic building in her stomach and walked back through the door. She had to face this. Carol Chapman went silent.

"Mom." She cleared her throat. "I- It's not...Alex and I...we're-" _Wow, very eloquent. _Perhaps she should have thought about what she was going to say while working up the nerve to face her mother.

"Piper Elizabeth Chapman, I do not have it in me to speak to you about this right now. Your father and I are going down to get some lunch." Bill offered his daughter a hopeless look as he stood from his chair. "We'll discuss this in the privacy of our own home. Until then, try to make yourself useful and stay with your grandmother." The blonde did just that, settling in the empty chair and taking the hand of her still-sleeping grandmother. Her forehead fell to the mattress and she willed herself to not break down again.

"I'm not dying, y'know?" Piper sat up, her let hand gripping at her chest.

"Jesus! Shit, grandma. You scared me. I thought you were asleep."

"How could I rest with your mother ranting and raving about you? I decided it was my best bet to feign sleep until the coast was clear."

"I'm really sorry." The blonde sighed.

"That's alright. I think I've had enough laying around anyway." Celeste made an effort to sit up and Piper reached for another pillow and slid it behind her.

"Right."

"You look a little rough, sweetheart." She took in her granddaughter's puffy, red eyes.

"I'm aware, thank you." Piper chuckled at her bluntness.

"I'm serious, what have you done this time?"

"It's nothing."

"Nothing, huh? Because your mom was ranting about you and some woman named Alex." She smirked.

"_Fuck_. It's not what you think. Alex is- she's...I.." Piper once again struggled to form a sentence. Alex was _everything_. How the fuck was she meant to explain that?

"You love her." Piper sighed. Her grandmother had always been able to read her like a book. There was no point in lying. Besides, her reaction was pretty well guaranteed to be warmer than her mothers.

"Yeah. I do." A tear rolled down her cheek. "Is that ok?"

"You always were a difficult one, peanut." The blonde furrowed her eyebrows, curious to where this was headed. "I've tried to tell your mom. 'Piper isn't always going to get everything right. But she _always _tries.' You've been stubborn since the day you were born, I swear. But you always bent when it came to your mom; sacrificed your own happiness."

"I just don't think I can do it anymore." She sniffled. "Now that I know what it feels like to be truly happy. I can't lose Alex. _I can't_."

"Then don't. Your parents will come around eventually...Even your mother, if she knows what's good for her."

"So you're really ok with me being with a woman?"

"...You deserve to be happy, Piper."

This comment caused another set of tears to stream down her cheeks. "I love you, grandma."

"I love you too, darling." She rubbed her warm hand reassuringly over Piper's. "So when do I get to meet this Alex? Your mom was ranting about the fact that you brought her with you."

"Actually...I kind of blew up and asked her to leave." Piper gulped. _Fuck, why did she do that?_ She already had to mend things with her parents and now she had to apologize to her girlfriend as well.

"See: _difficult_."

The young blonde giggled. "Point taken."

* * *

It was early evening and Piper's parents still hadn't spoken to her unless necessary. The doctors informed them that everything looked good, but they would like to keep Celeste until the following morning for observation. Piper desperately wanted to spend the night by her side, but the woman insisted she'd be fine on her own. The blonde needed to return home with her parents so that they could finally have a conversation about her relationship. One that she was very much _not_ looking forward to.

The car ride to their house was painfully quiet. Piper felt like a child again; confined to the back seat and waiting nervously to be chastised for her mistakes. But she wasn't a child anymore. Her parents would probably always have an impact on her emotions, but they didn't get to control her actions.

The three Chapmans settled at the casual dining table. Carol had immediately cracked open a bottle of wine. The young blonde was honestly surprised she hadn't reached for something harder. Her father opted for a beer, and Piper wore a hesitant smile when he brought one over to the table for her as well.

"So…" The blonde spoke up first, clearing her throat.

"Am I to understand that you are in a relationship with that woman?"

"Yes." A repetitive tinging sound clued Piper in to the fact that her nervous tapping had returned, this time on the neck of her beer bottle. She smiled sadly, knowing that if Alex were there, she would have reached for her restless hand and interlaced their fingers. "We've been seeing each other for over five months now." Bill offered a small nod, his eyebrows raised in surprise.

"Oh for heaven's sake." Carol drained the remainder of her glass before refilling it.

"Piper, dear. Five months is quite a long time. Your mom and I call you nearly every week and you never thought to mention this?"

"Of course I thought about it! I just wasn't ready to complicate things. I knew this wouldn't be an easy process."

"That's an understatement." The words were painful, but there was an unexpected lightness to Bill's tone. If the young blonde didn't know better, she may have even let out a little laugh.

"How could you do this to us, Piper? After everything that we have given you?"

"I'm not _doing_ anything, I'm just being myself. How can that be so wrong?" In this moment, Piper wished desperately that she could have had a mother more like Diane. Alex had told Piper her coming out story some months ago, and it made her heart swell. A 14-year-old Alex burst into tears, telling her mother that something was wrong with her. That while all the other girls at school had crushes on boys, she had been crushing on them. Alex had told her that she still remembered the feeling of the embrace that her mother immediately pulled her into. Diane had reassured her that there was absolutely nothing was wrong with her, and insisted that she was_ actually_ lucky because guys were assholes. Piper had burst into laughter at this. It wasn't hard to imagine such warmth and humor coming from Diane.

"Oh, must you be so dramatic about this? Your grandmother is in the hospital and somehow you've made this visit about you." Carol rolled her eyes.

"I'm not being dramatic, mom. I _love _Alex!" The blonde felt her face heating up at the admission. She wasn't quite sure if she was making things better or worse at this point. Her father's hand came to rest on her shoulder, giving it a small squeeze. Silence. _Crippling_ silence filled the room and Piper swore her own heartbeat was loud enough for everyone to hear it.

"This is too much." Her mother shook her head. She was keenly examining her face, and Piper wondered for a moment if her mother truly couldn't recognize her. Or perhaps, after all these years, she was really seeing her.

"I think what your mother is trying to say...is that you can't expect us to just be okay with this." He cleared his throat before continuing. "Not right away."

"I know. And I didn't- I _don't _expect that. I just need you to know that things between Alex and I aren't going to change any time soon."

Her mother reached across the table, taking one of her hands in her own. "Piper, how could you be in love with a woman?"

"I'm in love with who she is as a person. It doesn't make any difference to me...And if you want to be a part of my life- the life that I have with her- then you're going to have to be more understanding."

"Can't you see that I'm trying?" Her mother's eyes were glassy, and Piper was taken aback by the show of emotion.

"Yeah, mom. I can."

* * *

A nice hot shower was exactly what Piper needed to wash away the stress of the day. She felt the tension in her shoulders dissipating and sighed in relief. She slipped into some of her old running shorts and a tank top before sliding under the covers of her old twin bed. Staying in her childhood bedroom always felt strange to her. She couldn't help but reflect on everything when she visited this house. This time it was different. For the first time in a long time, she felt truly happy. Piper decided her teenage self would have been both shocked and proud of her new love.

_Alex._ She was torn. The brunette deserved an apology as soon as possible, but she also wanted her to hear it in person. As much as she longed to text her or call her, it wouldn't be fair. She didn't deserve her girlfriend's reassurance right now. She fell asleep with Alex on her mind. _As usual._

The morning went smoothly. Piper had breakfast with her parents and the tension had pretty well dissipated. There was no mention of Alex; positive or negative. The blonde supposed this would do for now. It was best not to push it.

"Daddy, do you think you could maybe give me a ride home today? I had Alex take the car." Piper asked on their car ride to the hospital. This time she was in the passenger seat as her father drove. Carol sat in the back, staring intently at her phone.

"Of course. I'd be happy to."

"Thank you." _One less thing to worry about. _

When they arrived, Celeste was already dressed in her regular clothes and eager to get out of the hospital. Piper was thrilled to see her back in her usual state. Apart from the cast on her wrist, she looked perfectly normal and healthy. She was advised to take it easy, and would be staying with Bill and Carol for a while. Piper was relieved that her grandmother wouldn't be alone _and_ that she wouldn't have to stick around to hear here and Carol's inevitable bickering. When she was cleared to go, they all headed out the door. Piper stayed close to her grandmother.

As they were walking out through the busy waiting room, Piper's eyes fell upon a familiar form. No matter how crowded a room was, it was impossible to miss her.

"Alex?" The brunette sat up, green eyes darting over to lock with baby blues. She looked tired and was in the same t-shirt and jeans as yesterday, but somehow she was still as beautiful as ever.

She wore an apologetic smile as she rose to her feet. "Hey, Pipes…"

"What are you doing here?"

"I couldn't bring myself to leave you. There's a hotel across the wa-" She was cut off by a crushing hug.

"I love you so much." She whispered. "I'm sorry...about yesterday. I'm _really _sorry." A huge sigh escaped her as she relaxed against her girlfriend's body. When she took in another deep breath, she relished in the familiar, comforting scent of her.

"I know, Pipes." They parted and Piper searched her girlfriend's expression for more meaning. _I know. I know and I forgive you? I know, but that doesn't make it okay? _

"I'm going to take Celeste out to the car." Carol stated simply. She looked between her daughter and Alex. Surprisingly she offered a nearly imperceptible smile and a nod in Alex's direction.

"Nice to see you both." Alex attempted. She turned her attention to just Celeste. "Glad to see you're doing well."

"Well thank you, dear. I'm glad that you've decided to stick around." With that, Carol was off and Celeste trailed her unenthusiastically. She shot one last look at her granddaughter and offered a wink. Piper smiled.

"I take it you don't need that ride anymore?" Bill inquired. Piper shot an insecure look at Alex, not wanting to make any assumptions.

"I got it covered, sir."

"Bill." He extended a hand. "Nice to _officially_ meet you."

"Likewise." A firm handshake. They all made their way out of the hospital together. Piper wanted to cry with joy when Alex reached out to hold her hand. Her car was parked only one row over from her parents' and Piper couldn't believe she had missed it on the way in. She slid into the passenger seat and relaxed against it. Alex stalled outside of the car and.

"Alex!" Bill called out to her before he had made it back to his car. She raised an eyebrow. "Take care of our little girl."

"Always."

* * *

Alex moved to start the car, but Piper reached for her hand. She pulled it to rest on the center console with her own. It was quiet.

"I'm sorry." The blonde's voice was shaking. She stared intently into piercing green eyes, hoping to convey just how sorry she really was.

"Pipes...It's okay."

"Don't say that. I know you were only trying to be there for me. I shouldn't have freaked out on you like I did."

"I'll admit it was shitty. But I'm trying to understand. Help me understand."

Piper let out a low groan when she felt moisture collecting in her eyes again. "All I could think about when I sat down with my parents was Diane." A sad laugh escaped her and the brunette waited expectantly for her to continue. "Alex, you've never had to question the love your mom has for you. Ever since I was a kid...I've just never been enough for them. My parents love me conditionally...Sometimes I feel like I've been fighting my whole life: get the best grades, do the right shiny extracurriculars, have the perfect friends, date the right _men_…" Despite the tears now streaming down her face she sent a smirk to her girlfriend. She was offered a sad smile in return. "I've just had a hard time letting it all go...the expectations. I have to confront this _huge _part of me that still feels like my worth is defined by them."

"I wish you had explained more of this before. I mean- I want to be better equipped to help you with this stuff, Piper. You're not alone."

"I know, Al. You might be the first person to ever make me feel like I'm really not facing the world on my own."

"Kid…" Piper could tell by Alex's voice that she was feeling rather mushy at the moment. "I feel the same way about you. I just wish I didn't accidentally out you to your parents. It wasn't fair."

The blonde shrugged. "Like you said: it was an accident. It definitely wasn't how I imagined it, but I'm just so glad that it's out now...I think that this might be the first step of many in me finally feeling free to be myself. Like I don't have to hold back anymore."

"If the past few months has been you 'holding back', I think you might be the death of me." Alex winked.

"I didn't mean like _that_." Piper chuckled and wiped at her cheeks. The tears had finally stopped flowing. "But you know I've always got more to give you."

"Mmm. Damn right." Alex's thumb was grazing gently over the side of the blonde's hand. She couldn't help but notice the stark contrast between the sentimental touch and provocative conversation. It was so Alex.

"Can I kiss you?" _Just to be sure._

"Fuck yes." The blonde didn't hesitate. The second she was given permission, she was gripping at Alex's jaw and pulling her into a deep kiss. The use of her tongue was brazen, but her movements were slow and deliberate. Despite the nature of their exchange, she didn't want this kiss to be about sex. It was about love. About loving Alex. And loving the parts of herself that only Alex could make her so acutely aware of.

* * *

_A/N: I appreciate your general concern for Alex and the struggle to understand where Piper is coming from_. _You guys don't have to worry when it comes to my writing; I don't think I have it in my little gay heart to ever wreck Vauseman haha. -K_


	11. Chapter 11

_A/N: I don't really know where this chapter came from. This idea just came to me and practically wrote itself. Figured it works alright in this story. Nothing too plot heavy here, but there are a few important details. Also a line from a certain deleted scene that worked so well here that I couldn't help but include it haha. Let me know what you think. _

* * *

"Piper! Are you even listening to me?" The blonde's eyes finally snapped up from her computer screen when she heard her full name. Alex very rarely referred to her as anything other than 'kid', 'Pipes', or 'babe'.

"Huh? Wha- yeah."

"No you're not. I'm asked you a simple question. A little help would be nice." Alex was currently pacing around her bedroom, looking stunning in a black suit with a dark green blouse that tied at her neck. She was holding a second suit in her left hand and a dress in the other.

"Babe." Alex shot her a look. "You look phenomenal in everything. I've seen you wear each of these outfits to work before, what's the big deal?"

"The 'big deal' is that I have a huge pitch to make tomorrow and I can't fuck it up."

"You're not going to fuck it up." Piper put her laptop to the side and slid off of Alex's bed, walking over to the tense brunette.

"You don't know that..._Please _just help me pick an outfit.

"Hmmm, well I_ personally_ love you in a suit. And this blouse does wonders for your eyes...amongst other things." Piper glanced at her girlfriend's chest with a smirk. She wasn't quite sure what had the brunette in such a poor mood, and hoped that a little bit of banter would soften her rough edges.

"I'm being serious, Piper. I'm not trying to look sexy, I just want to be taken seriously."

"I can assure you the people at your company take you very seriously. You're their best asset. Why? Did something happen at work?" Alex let out an exasperated sigh. "Did one of the guys try to hit on you? Al, I will smack a man down I swea-"

"No, Pipes. Jesus." She let out a noise somewhere between a laugh and a scoff. Piper bit into her lip to fight a smile after hearing her nickname.

"Well then why are you being so- _Oh my god!_" The blonde cried out giddily.

Alex raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"_You're nervous!_"

"I most definitely am not! Don't be ridiculous."

"You are! Oh my god, you're so cute! I don't think I've ever seen you like this." Piper cupped her girlfriends cheeks. Alex's arms fell to her side in defeat, the garments in her hands folding against the floor.

"Fuck off. I am _not _cute, I'm...alluring."

"Says the woman who _just _claimed she didn't want to look sexy." Piper teased, catching Alex in her contradictions. She grabbed the hangers from her girlfriends hands and tossed the two options onto the foot of the bed.

"It's not funny." Alex wined. "I fucking hate public speaking. _Fuck..._my palms are sweaty just thinking about it." Piper grasped her hands to find that they were in fact rather slick. She smirked and wiped her girlfriend's palms against her own jean-clad thighs before sliding them around to land on her ass.

"Is that better?" Alex offered a small smirk and slid her hands into the jean pockets, giving her bum a squeeze. "How did I not know this about you?" The brunette had never let on that she had such an aversion. In fact, if asked, Piper would have claimed Alex to be one of the few people who _wasn't_ afraid to speak in front of a crowd. She just came across as so confident all of the time.

Alex had given a few presentations in the time that they have been together. Upon further reflection, the brunette did tend to be a bit more irritable during these times. Piper had just always assumed it was because of the stress of a heavier workload, not because she was nervous.

"Because it's embarrassing."

"A fear of public speaking is not embarassing, baby. You're in the majority. Statistics show that public speaking is the most common fear. Ahead of spiders, heights, dentists...even death."

"I love it when you talk data to me." Alex remarked. "Maybe you should do my presentation for me…?"

"You're going to do amazingly because you _are _amazing." She planted a sweet kiss on her girlfriend's plump, red lips. "If you get desperate, just picture them all naked."

"That is a fallacy...and a conceptual HR transgression." The blonde smirked, shaking her head at her girlfriend. "_Also _particularly appealing in this scenario since most of my coworkers are men." Her expression turned to a grimace.

"Ok…" Piper nodded, wrapping her hands around her girlfriend's neck. She kissed up the column of her neck until her mouth was right next to her ear. "...So picture me naked."

"Mmmm." Alex moaned out, pulling back to capture the blonde in a searing kiss. "As much as I love that, I don't think that a sexually charged business proposal is a very good idea."

"Fair enough." Piper giggled. Content that Alex was in a better mood, she leaned in again hoping to get some more action. They both got lost in a deep kiss.

"Pipes-" She spoke against her lips. "Baby, I really need to practice my presentation and then actually get some sleep." They both reluctantly pulled away.

"Right. Ok." The blonde attempted to rein in her libido. "You need any help? I can be a _very attentive_ audience member."

"Sure, if you don't mind. So this is the outfit of choice?" Alex gestured to the suit she had on.

"Yesss, you look incredible." That was an understatement. In fact, sometimes Piper could feel moisture collecting in her panties from a brief glimpse of Alex in her professional attire. "Now show me what you got, girl." Piper settled back on the bed and Alex stood at the other side of the room, running through her whole presentation as the blonde watched intently.

* * *

The following morning, Alex woke up to her alarm and found the other side of her bed empty. This struck her as odd. Piper's work day started about an hour after Alex's, so she usually stuck around in the morning until she left. She felt her stomach dropping at the idea of not getting one last goodbye and a little extra encouragement.

Her apartment was quiet, so she could just make out a faint voice that she recognized as her girlfriend's. Alex let out a sigh of relief. The blonde must have woken up to a call from one of her family members (something she did quite often) and left the room to let Alex rest. She brushed her teeth and took a quick shower before heading back into her room and throwing on some leggings and a tank top. She left her bedroom to find the blonde in the kitchen. Piper was standing at the stove in just her underwear and one of Alex's t-shirts.

"Yeah...love you too…ok, bye daddy." She hung up her phone and set it on the counter right as Alex wrapped her arms around her. The blonde turned in her arms with a huge smile. "Good morning, my love."

"Good morning. Mmmm, it smells amazing in here."

"Whole grain french toast, eggs, and a banana for your big day." Piper leaned up to capture her lips in a minty kiss.

"You're the best."

"Here's your plate, baby." The two took their breakfast to Alex's small table and sat across from one another. The brunette immediately dug into her meal, french toast being her favorite breakfast food. It was only after a few bites that she noticed Piper hadn't begun eating. She sat staring at her, smiling and biting her bottom lip.

Alex froze. "What?"

"My dad said to tell you 'Hi'. And 'Good luck'." It had been a few weeks since Alex had met her parents and not much progress had been made. When Carol called, she never asked about Alex. Any time Piper worked up the nerve to mention her, she'd be met with an unenthusiastic response. Today, however, Bill had asked about Alex _and _even seemed to listen as Piper explained her girlfriend's work presentation. It wasn't much, but to Piper, it meant everything.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"That was nice of him."

"I thought so too." Piper was grinning wide, excitement building in her stomach.

The two finished their breakfast together and Piper watched as Alex got her outfit all laid out and started on her hair and makeup. The brunette's movements seemed to lack their usual confidence this morning. Piper only really noticed when she started working on her eyeliner and her hands were uncharacteristically unsteady. She made her way over to her girlfriend, grabbing the liner from her.

"Let me do it." Piper took her time in creating a small black wing at the corner of each eye. "Perfect." She slid her glasses back on for her.

"Thank you." The blonde noted the slight blush on her girlfriend's cheeks.

"You're welcome." It was Piper's turn to take a quick shower during this time since she needed to run by her place quickly before work. Alex continued to get ready and was about to apply her lipstick; the finishing touch.

"Wait!" Piper called out as she exited the steamy shower. The brunette paused, applicator held mere centimeters from her bottom lip.

"Yes…?" The blonde walked over to her, water droplets cascading down her toned arms and long legs. She dried her face off before pulling her girlfriend into a deep kiss. They didn't have time to go any further, so she kept it as innocent as she could manage.

"Ok. I needed one last kiss. Don't want to mess up your lipstick once you've got it on."

"Mmmm, good point." Alex pulled her into a kiss that was substantially more steamy kiss. Her tongue immediately entered the blonde's mouth, eliciting a moan. The pair moved in sync for a few more moments before reluctantly pulling away.

"_Fuck_." Piper whispered. She was really feeling the fact that she and Alex hadn't had sex the previous night, and knew that she couldn't do anything about it. That kiss had her worked up all over again.

"I _just _put on a fresh pair of underwear and I've already wrecked them." Alex teased.

"Oops." The blonde wore an innocent smile that only made Alex want to ravish her more. Unfortunately, she needed to get dressed and be on her way.

"Ugh. I have to leave soon if I want to have some prep time." She made her way out of the bathroom and changed into her suit and blouse. She slid her papers and laptop into her bag and headed out through the living room. Piper trailed her the whole time, making sure she had everything she'd need for her big day. They paused at the front door.

The blonde leaned in to place a soft kiss on her cheek. "I love you. Go get 'em, hot stuff."

"Love you too." Alex wore a smirk, but Piper still noticed the unsure look in her eyes.

* * *

Alex sat in her office and flipped her bad open. She had a few minutes to get everything together before heading to the meeting room for her pitch. The brunette did her best to focus on her breathing. When she slipped her laptop out, a folded piece of paper plopped onto her desk as well. She eyed it curiously before opening it. The handwriting was immediately recognizable. _Piper._

_I am so proud of you, Al. You are the most incredible person I have ever known and I am so fucking grateful that you are a part of my life. Kick some ass: show all those business men how lucky they are to have you...not in the same way that I have you, of course. __;)_

_ Love, Pipes_

Alex couldn't help but chuckle as she read through the little note. Those last few words of encouragement and suggestive comments were just what she needed to calm her pounding heart. She could do this.

Piper was on edge all morning. She could hardly focus on her own work because she was willing so hard for Alex's presentation to go well. The illogical part of her hoped that her discomfort was somehow a sign that her girlfriend's had dissipated. That they were just so connected that she had somehow managed to take on the emotional burden for her. After everything Alex had done for her, it was most definitely her turn. She didn't hear from her until lunch.

Al: (I survived.)

Pipes: (Of course you did! How did it go?)

Al: (It went pretty well. The big boss was very impressed.)

Pipes: (I'm so proud of you, babe.)

Al: (Thank you. Your note this morning really put me into a good mindset..you sneak ;) )

Pipes: (I couldn't help myself. Just had to get in the last word.)

Al: (Sounds about right. Seriously, you're the fucking best.)

Pipes: (Having lunch now?)

Al: (Yes, just quickly picked up a salad. Still pretty full from this incredible breakfast that my sexy girlfriend made me. You?)

Pipes: (Trying to eat some, I actually have a pretty busy day ahead of me. A lot on my mind.)

Al: (I'm sorry, babe. Want to talk about it?)

Pipes: (It's all good, nothing I can't handle. It's not _all _work-related ;) )

Al: (Oh yeah? Please enlighten me.)

Pipes: (I don't have time, babe. Have to get back to work...but I'm taking you out tonight. Anywhere you want to go.)

Al: (Sounds amazing. I love you.)

Pipes: (Love you too, Al.)

* * *

Alex went straight home after work to prepare for her dinner date with her girlfriend. Both women had had a long day and were more than ready to spend some time together.

Al: (Are you ready for dinner, kid?)

Pipes: (Uhh not quite. Swing by mine and then we'll head out?)

Al: (On my way :) )

Alex arrived at the apartment and let herself in, only to be met with complete darkness. She reached blindly for the switch and tripped slightly on something before she hit it.

"Shit." It was a pair of heels that Piper must had abandoned at the door. "Pipes, what the-" She was met with the sight of a completely naked Piper standing in the living room. The blonde's lips were moving, but Alex had a hard time focusing. Her eyes traced her girlfriend's form a few time before she snapped out of her daze.

"Al, are you even listening to me?" Piper rolled her eyes in mock annoyance. "I have a _very_ important date tonight and I'm asking for your input."

"I- what?" Only then did she notice that Piper was holding a lingerie set in each hand. One was a dark red, Alex's favorite. The other was a light pink set that she had never seen before.

"Which one should I wear?"

"You think you're _so _clever, don't you? How about...you stay exactly as you are?" She smirked.

"Yeah right. I'm fucking starving, Al."

The blonde felt her idea to tease her girlfriend backfiring a bit as she watched her tongue swipe over her full lips. "Me too."

"_Alex_. Just pick one, please."

"The pink. I've never seen those on you." Alex sauntered over to her and snatched the panties from her hand before dropping to her knees. She placed a kiss on her smooth mound and Piper fought the urge to take a fistful of her hair and tug her further into her. She tapped at each of her ankles to get her to step into the lace thong, and slid it up her long legs and around her hips. "Not used to moving your undergarments in this direction." She teased.

Piper pulled her up into a searing kiss, moaning at the feeling. Alex only remembered that Piper still didn't have a bra on when she felt her stiff nipples through the thin material her blouse. She reluctantly helped her slip into the bra and took in the sight of her gorgeous body. The light pink lace looked incredible against her smooth, lightly-tanned skin.

"You look stunning."

"Thank you. But I think I need at least another layer before we go out to dinner." She chuckled and walked away. Alex was left alone in the living room, only to be greeted by a fully-dressed Piper a few minutes later. She had slipped into a sexy little black dress and a pair of red heels. The brunette shook her head in appreciation, unable to think about anything but the tantalizing set she knew to be underneath.

"Ugh, you're such a tease."

"I don't know what you're talking about, I just needed your opinion on my outfit. Now let's go eat! I want to hear all about your day and your presentation." Alex groaned and Piper couldn't help but smile. "C'mon, babe. When we get home I've got my own _presentation_ planned...just for you."

* * *

_A/N: Not sure if I'm going to attempt a sexy continuation of this chapter, or just keep the story moving. Let me know your thoughts on that specifically and where you'd like to see this story headed as a whole. I've never really written much domestic Vauseman, but I have a few ideas I wouldn't mind throwing around at some point. I'm also a university student, so I'm not sure how much I'll be able to write and post once I get into my next semester (which is soon!) *insert nervous smile here*. -K_


	12. Chapter 12

_A/N: A few of you requested a sexy continuation of last ch so here we are. Let the smut commence. I felt particularly out of my comfort zone whilst writing this and took quite a few breaks to figure out the direction I wanted to take it. Hopefully that doesn't detract from it's overall flow. Not sure how I feel about the final result, but I hope you guys are alright with it..? I'm back at uni very soon and I'm unsure of what that will mean for my writing. As usual, let me know how you're feeling. -K_

* * *

Piper treated Alex to dinner at her favorite restaurant. She did her best to enjoy her own meal, but couldn't stop staring at the brunette. She had decided to try some new pasta dish, and Piper couldn't stop watching as she sucked the noodles between her lips and let out the occasional soft moan. The brunette knew exactly what she was doing and Piper was not pleased. This night was supposed to be about teasing _her_, but Alex always had a knack for regaining control.

"Anyway…" The brunette spoke casually. "..with Garrison leaving, I'm pretty sure I'm their top choice for the new head of distribution." She scooped another bite into her mouth, licking the sauce that settled on her lip.

Piper shook her head and cleared her throat, doing her best to get a grip. "That's great, baby. You deserve it. You prove your worth there_ everyday_, but I'm glad today went exceptionally well."

"Couldn't have done it without you." She licked her fork clean, and Piper watched intently. She struggled to think about anything other than where she'd prefer that skilled tongue to be.

"Al, you've got to cool it. Just eat your food like a normal person and then we can get out of here."

"Got you going, babe?" She inquired with a smirk. "I could've been eating _you_ instead, but you had to drag me out."

Piper took a deep breath. She couldn't fight her instinct to look around, seeing if any of the restaurant's other patrons were tuned in to their conversation. It didn't appear as if anyone had taken interest, but she spoke quietly just in case. "This night is about you. I want to make you feel good."

Alex, on the other hand, made no effort to keep their conversation discrete. She spoke at a normal volume, but from Piper's perspective, she may as well have been screaming. "Very few things in this world make me feel better than your sweet pussy."

"Alex!" Piper whispered harshly and felt a blush creeping up her neck. "You can't talk like that...we're in public!"

"Relax, kid. No one is paying attention." She shrugged, returning her attention to her meal.

Piper shot her a look. "You don't know that."

"Ok, ok. Just stop staring at me and eat your lettuce wraps, then. You know I lack self-restraint when it comes to you, kid."

Both women were quick to finish their meals, eager to get some alone time. Every once in a while, Alex would make some sexually-charged comment, and Piper tried her best to ignore the growing heat between her legs. She also struggled to ignore the slight annoyance she felt at her girlfriend's actions. Alex didn't often let her take control. Usually she wouldn't complain about this as it made for some earth-shattering orgasms. Tonight, however, she wanted to be in control.

* * *

Alex slammed her girlfriend against her apartment door before pulling her into a kiss. The ride back to her place had been tense, both women desperate to feel the other pressed firmly against them. Piper let out a small gasp as she registered the heat present in their kiss. Apparently the brunette's pasta dish had been spicy, and the blonde felt her lips tingling. She lost herself in the sensation for a moment before she recalled her earlier promise to Alex. Her hand grasped the brunette's neck and she pushed her away. They were both slightly out of breath. Alex chuckled.

"Pipes-" The blonde simply tugged her towards the bedroom. She tried to pull her into another kiss, but Piper held her off with a firm hand on her chest. Alex eyed her skeptically.

"Alright, Ms. Vause. Please have a seat." She gestured to the armchair in the corner of Alex's room. "Make yourself comfortable." Alex did exactly that, sitting in the chair with her legs spread. She knew the blonde loved it when she sat like that. "I've been _desperate _to show you a few things I've been working on. I suspect you'll be rather pleased."

"I'm certain I will be; you're not one to disappoint." The blonde was trying her best to keep things serious, but couldn't help but smile softly at the compliment.

"If you'd excuse me, I just need a moment to prepare myself." With that, Piper headed towards the brunette bathroom. On her way, she began unzipping her dress and slid it off of her toned body. Alex couldn't help but stare at the blonde's ass as she sauntered out of the room. She was a bit confused, having expected Piper to tease her a bit more before showing some skin. The brunette took the opportunity to slip her heels off and slide them under the chair.

When Piper returned a few minutes later, the brunette's mouth fell open. She had slipped into some of Alex's work clothes. A pair of dark grey slacks with a white blouse tucked into them. The same red heels adorned her feet. Alex swallowed harshly when she realized that Piper had removed her bra. Her nipples were already straining against the thin, silky material and Alex desperately wanted to get her mouth on them.

The blonde made her way over to her phone and put a sexy playlist on Alex's speaker. Each movement of hers was slow and deliberate. She bent over slightly, making sure to give the brunette a nice view of her ass in her fitted slacks. She gathered her blonde hair in her hands and threw it up into a messy bun. Alex took in the sight of her long elegant neck, tracing the prominent vein along its length. She swallowed harshly and cleared her throat causing Piper's attention to snap back to her.

"I expected a bit more patience from you." She smirked. "I know that you're usually in charge...but it's my turn. I suggest you sit back and enjoy the view."

She strutted over to stand in front of her girlfriend, hips swaying and heels clicking against the dark hardwood floor. She continued swaying to the music, hands roaming over her body. Alex was practically on the edge of her seat waiting for the blonde to grasp a hardened nipple through her shirt. She undid the top two buttons, exposing her collarbones and the flat center of her chest. The blonde continued her sensual movements and Alex let out a sigh of relief when her long slender fingers moved to the button of her slacks. She slowly undid it and pulled at the zipper, offering a tiny glimpse of her mound and the lacy material that covered it. Alex felt her arousal building with the anticipation and crossed her right leg over her left, hoping to gain some much needed friction against her core.

"Uh-uh, Alexandra." Alex raised an eyebrows upon hearing her full name from the blonde. "Keep those legs uncrossed for me. And take off your pants. I want to watch as you get wet for me." The brunette obliged, sliding her black dress pants off, folding them nicely, and setting them on the ground. The smirk on Piper's face was the only confirmation she needed to know there was already a nice wet patch forming on her grey underwear. The blonde was now untucking the blouse and stepping out of her heels.

She slid her own slacks down her gorgeous legs at an agonizingly slow speed. As soon as she was out of them, she tossed them to the side. Normally Alex would have been upset about seeing her expensive clothing thrown to the floor, but she wasn't about to complain in this moment. Piper slipped back into her heels Alex's mouth was watering at the way they enhanced the span and definition of her legs. The length of the borrowed blouse meant that the brunette's view was still mostly obstructed. She admired every inch of her legs, but couldn't enjoy the view of the lacy pink thong she knew to be mere inches higher. She shook her head, both out of appreciation and slight frustration.

"Get over here." Alex demanded with a smirk.

"I don't think you're in a position to be making demands, Ms. Vause."

The brunette couldn't help but be amused by this side of her girlfriend. "Oh, yeah?"

"I'm in charge here. I'll take things as fast or as slow as I please." Her hands returned to the buttons of her blouse, fiddling with them until it was completely open. Her perky little breasts were just barely on display, the shirt still covering her rosy nipples.

"This next portion is going to be a bit more hands-on." Alex smirked as she watched the blonde finally slip her hand into her lacy underwear. Her head fell back slightly as her fingers glided through her folds, exposing her gorgeous long neck. The brunette moaned in appreciation at the sight. She was disappointed when her girlfriend stopped touching herself only seconds later. "I hope you don't mind being a part of my demonstration." She slowly strutted over to the seated woman, dropping to her knees. She lifted two fingers, now covered in her arousal, and slid them across Alex's full lips.

The brunette's eyes fluttered shut and she immediately ran her tongue across her lips to revel in the taste of her girlfriend.

"You like that?"

"Yesss. You have no idea."

"Suck them in." Alex gladly took her dripping fingers between her lips. The blonde could feel herself growing wetter at the feeling of the talented tongue swirling around her fingers. When Piper's hand fell back to her own core Alex shot her a confused look.

"I thought you said it was my turn?"

"No. I said you'd be _part _of my demonstration. Perhaps you should listen better." Piper smirked. She stood up and straddled Alex's lap in her chair.

"And how exactly can I be of service to you?" Alex could feel her pussy pulsing at this point, but she was always more than willing to fuck the blonde first.

"I want your fingers." Piper gripped her right hand and pulled it to her core. She held Alex against her and rocked her hips a few times, getting her fingers nice and wet. After a few of her thrusts, the brunette couldn't resist sliding one finger inside of her. Piper let out a small gasp before stalling her movements. Alex assumed she wanted her to do the work and started pumping her finger in and out of her. The blonde gripped her wrist. "I set the pace."

"Yes ma'am." The brunette smirked and fought the urge to fuck her girlfriend relentlessly. She was desperate to bring her over the edge, but watching Piper ride her fingers was always ridiculously hot.

"Give me another finger." Alex obediently slid her ring finger in alongside the middle one. "Yesss...I'm going to ride those sexy fingers until I come all over you."

The brunette let out a groan as Piper began slowly grinding against her hand, her fingers slipping in and out with ease. She used her left hand to tug the white blouse down off of Piper's shoulders, finally revealing both of her gorgeous breasts. The blonde stopped moving again. Alex could feel her core pulsing around her digits and was rather impressed by her resolve.

"Did I say that you could touch my shirt?"

The brunette fought off a smirk. Piper was being so fucking hot right now. "No...Ms. Chapman, you didn't."

"That's what I thought. Perhaps you should show a little self-restraint."

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again."

"Good." Piper resumed her grinding at a devastatingly slow speed. "I suppose that since you've already exposed my tits, you should give them some attention."

"Absolutely. How do you want me?"

"Excellent question. You're getting the hang of this, Ms. Vause." She started bouncing up and down a bit faster in the brunette's lap. "I want your mouth on my nipples, Alex. They're already nice and hard for you."

"I know. I could see them from the moment you stepped out here." Alex teased.

"Oh, yeah? Have you been desperate to get your mouth on them?"

"Fuck yes."

"Now is your chance." The brunette didn't hesitate, leaning in to take one of Piper's nipples into her mouth. She swirled her tongue around it before gently sucking. She smiled against her breast when she felt even more moisture pooling between the blonde's legs. Alex moved on to give attention to her other breast and could feel Piper getting closer and closer to the edge. "_Fuck_, that's good." The blonde panted out.

"That's right, babe. You love my mouth on you and my fingers inside you?"

"'Babe'? L-let's keep things strictly professional, Vause." Alex smirked as her girlfriend struggled to get her banter out through pants and moans.

"Deal. Does this feel professional to you?" The brunette started thrusting into the blonde and strategically curled her fingers, caressing her g-spot.

The sensation took Piper by surprise and was just enough to push her over the edge. "Fuckkk, I'm coming!" She ground hard onto Alex's fingers one last time and then froze in place. The brunette savored the feeling of her core tightening around her. "...Oh my god." Once she had ridden out her orgasm, she gripped Alex's wrist and swiftly pulled her fingers out of her. The sudden emptiness made her core ache, but she did her best not to show it.

Alex was too perceptive: "Are you alright?" Piper wanted to pull her adorably concerned girlfriend into a sweet kiss, but she wasn't done with her yet. She stood up and pulled Alex to her feet as well.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I call the shots?" She made quick work of taking off her girlfriend's blouse and bra. Once she was clad only in her underwear, Piper spun her around and slammed her back against the wall. "I didn't tell you you could move your fingers."

"I'm sorry. I...I just thought-"

"You wanted to rush my orgasm, didn't you? You just couldn't handle not being in charge…" Piper slowly slid her hand into her girlfriend's underwear and slid her fingers up and down her slit. She was soaked and Piper couldn't help but smirk. "So maybe you like my dominance more than you're willing to let on?"

"I didn't say anything." Alex said indignantly.

"You didn't have to." Piper withdrew her hand and held her fingers up. They were dripping with Alex's juices. "Your pussy gave you away." She smirked before sucking her fingers into her mouth and moaning around them.

"_Please _fuck me."

"Ok, but only because you've asked so nicely." She slid her hand back into her underwear and took her time working her up. After a few minutes she finally slid two fingers into her girlfriend and started slowly pumping them in and out. She grabbed one of the brunette's legs and pulled it up to rest around her hip.

"Yesss." Alex moaned out. She instinctively moved her hands around to grip Piper's ass, but paused for a moment, unsure if the blonde would allow it.

The blonde smirked. "You can touch me." Alex gladly continued her intended movement and held Piper tighter against her with each thrust. She moved her lips to the brunette's neck placing soft kisses and sucking over her pulse point. Piper kept an impressively steady rhythm, occasionally adding more pressure against her front wall. The sensation of the blondes lips, fingers, and nipples against her own were driving Alex wild. Her head fell back against the wall and Piper knew her girlfriend wouldn't last too much longer. "Are you going to come for me?"

"Ugh...yes."

"You feel so good around me." Piper continued her movements and slid her thumb up to rub circles around her clit.

"Fuck! I'm close."

"Do it. Come for me." Alex stilled only moments later, riding out each wave of the orgasm she had been craving ever since Piper promised her a 'presentation'. She tightened her grip on the blonde's ass, short nails digging into her skin. As Alex got her breathing back under control, Piper gently lowered her leg to the ground for her. She continued supporting her by gripping her hips.

"I'd like to continue the presentation _orally_ if that's alright with you…?"

Alex was still dazed, but felt herself getting worked up all over again at the thought of her girlfriend's mouth on her sensitive pussy. "Mmmm. Yes, Ms. Chapman."

Piper bit her bottom lip before dropping to her knees. She grabbed the opposite leg from earlier and threw it over her shoulder. Alex put effort into ingraining the sight of Piper on her knees clad in only her panties and a pair of red heels into her memory. She only placed two soft licks before moving up to Alex's sensitive clit, desperate to bring her over the edge once again.

"Jesus fuck, Piper!" The sensation took Alex by surprise and she jerked her hips. She tugged at blonde hair, already desperate for more. Piper moved lower again, teasing the brunette mercilessly. When the brunette started tugging harder, she finally appeased her and moved back up to her clit. She moaned against her core, unable to believe just how wet Alex was. This sensation only made Alex thrust harder against her face and let out a low moan. It only took a few more minutes for her to reach her peak and Piper made sure to help her in savoring each and every second of it. She cleaned her girlfriend up before she stood to face her once again.

"I think that concludes my presentation. Thanks for coming." She winked clumsily and Alex couldn't help but let out a chuckle at her antics. "Any thoughts...questions...concerns?" Piper panted out. The brunette was mesmerized by the moisture left behind on and around her gorgeous lips.

"Hmmm, I don't think so. You've been _very _thorough...but how about I show you what I learned?" She smirked and finally pulled the blonde into a deep kiss. She had missed those lips so fucking much.

Piper moaned against her lips. "Mmm. Yes please."

* * *

Alex and Piper both laid in bed naked and covered in a thin layer of sweat. The blonde closed her eyes as she caught her breath, feeling absolutely glorious. She enjoyed the cool air on her skin for a few moments before curling back up against her girlfriend's side. Somehow Alex was always warm, which worked out great for Piper.

"Oh my god. I would kill to have my grey sweatpants right now. We should have gone back to my place." The blonde groaned.

"I'm sorry, baby. You can borrow a pair of mine if you want..?"

"It's not the same." She pouted. "Your sweats are too big on me."

"Ouch. You calling me fat, Pipes?" The brunette teased.

"Mmmm. It's only because you've got that sexy ass, baby." Piper smirked and slid her hand around to rest on her girlfriend's ass.

"Riiight."

"I'm being serious. _My_ sweatpants hug me in all the right places."

Alex smirked and gazed toward the ceiling, picturing her girlfriend in the familiar pair of sweats. "You're not wrong."

"You're ridiculous. Sweatpants are objectively one of the least sexy articles of clothing." Piper giggled.

"You make everything look sexy. Anyway, you're basically here all the time so you should just move your clothes over here." Alex mentioned casually.

"If I moved all my stuff here then I'd have nothing at my place..."

"Well...you wouldn't have to keep your place...Maybe _we_ could just have a place?"

Piper smiled widely. "Are you asking me to move in with you?"

"I think I am. Only if you want to, of course." Alex added, feeling a bit insecure.

Piper pulled her into a sweet kiss. "I would love that. And I love you."

"I love you too."


	13. Chapter 13

_A/N: Hey guys! First of all I just wanted to say that I'm sorry it's been a while. Some of you probably know that I'm in uni so I've been adjusting to a new semester. Got a lot of stuff going on and some pretty big life changes (!) so I've just been allowing myself to take some time. I needed a while to just breathe and focus on the present, but I'm not planning to give up on writing. This is something I've taken on to express myself and provide some sort of escape, I guess. I'm not going to promise frequent updates because my education and relationships are my top priorities right now. With all of that being said, this is only a _tiny_ update. I am thinking about potentially creating a separate fic as a continuation of this AU. I have a few ideas I'd like to explore by writing some domestic Vauseman. Soooo if that's something you're interested in please let me know! I hope you'll stick around and be patient with me. -K_

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She could hear muffled rock music; a rare occurrence in Piper's rather orderly apartment building. As she continued down the hall, it became clear that the tunes were coming from the blonde's apartment, threatening to disturb the other inhabitants. Piper must have been embracing her inner rebel in the last days at her place. She often complained to the brunette about how snooty her neighbors could be.

Alex let herself in quickly, not wanting the music to echo down the hall. She couldn't help but let out a laugh after she had turned around. The blonde was dancing around her living room clad only in underwear and a t-shirt. She'd pick up the occasional object and examine it before placing it into one of the boxes on her floor. Alex approached her quickly, placing her hands on her waist.

"Jesus!" Piper whipped around. "_Alex,_ you fucking scared me."

"I'm sorry. Maybe if you weren't blasting your music like an angsty teen you would have heard me." She teased.

"Ha. ha." The blonde pulled her phone out of her pocket to lower the volume of her speaker before placing a peck on her girlfriend's lips. "The music helps me stay motivated. You don't realize how much shit you have until you start trying to pack it all up." She gestured to the boxes around her. There were boxes all over, but each one's contents were perfectly organized.

"It looks like you're getting on alright."

"Yeah...those are being donated." She gestured to one side. "These are keepers. I'm almost done but I'm _exhausted_."

"Well you're in luck. I brought fuel with me." Alex held up a takeout bag.

"Ugh, you're the best. I'm starving." Piper looked around before plopping down on the couch. "My dishes are already packed so I hope you brought something easy to eat." She laughed.

"Your favorite sandwich." Alex pulled both of their sandwiches and a bag of chips out before sitting next to her girlfriend.

Piper grabbed her sandwich, unwrapped it, and took a big bite. "Mmmm. So good, thank you. Although...this might be my second favorite sandwich." She added casually.

The brunette eyed her girlfriend curiously. The blonde often said things that sounded sexual without realizing it, but Alex knew for a fact that this was her favorite _actual _sandwich. The smirk and slight blush on Piper's face meant that her last comment had in fact been intentionally sexual. "Oh yeah?"

"Mhmm."

Alex dropped her sandwich to her lap and turned to face her girlfriend more directly. "And who else might you be being _sandwiched_ by?" The brunette was feeling slightly irritated. Piper was hers, and they had certainly never talked about bringing another person into the equation.

"I meant being sandwiched between you and a mattress...or really any other surface I guess." Piper was satisfied with the reaction she got from her girl. "Relax, Vause."

"You think you're so clever."

"Nah, I just know how to get a rise out of you. So easy."

Alex waved her hands dismissively and continued eating her meal. "Yeah, yeah."

"I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. But seriously...thank you for coming to see me. And for bringing dinner."

"You're welcome, Pipes. Anything else you need help with while I'm here?"

"I don't think so. Could you take a few more boxes over to your place for me tonight, though? It'll be easier than me trying to move them all tomorrow morning." The blonde let out a sigh, feeling exhausted.

"Of course. And it's _our _place, not my place."

"That's what I meant: _our place_. God, I love saying that." Piper replied with a warm smile. The truth of the matter was that for quite some time, any place had felt like home as long as Alex was by her side.


End file.
